The Dragon King
by Shara' Fang
Summary: Logan's future is forever altered when he meets Amber. Then after five years together with the Canadian military, Amber leaves just before Logan's due back at camp. He's then thrust into a legend of Dragons, and mysteries where he is their king...
1. Chapter 1 : A New Belt

***Disclaimer: If you recognize it it's not mine (most likely) and even so, this isn't making me any money...***

Chapter 1

A New Belt

_**2010**_

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_ _Beep! Silence. Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!_

"_Ah!"_ screamed Camryn as she woke up with a start. _Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! _Grumbling Cam slammed her alarms silence button, and took a quick peek at its face. 6:45. _Well that's just great! _She looked out the clear window to a bright sunny day and sighed. She was always amazed at how bright it could be early in the morning of an Albertan summer, even if it was late August. As Cam thought about what today brought she started to feel nervous. _Today is the day. I can't believe I finally get my black belt, _she thought to herself, _"Wow!" _In a daze she got slowly out of bed and stumbled down the pale pink hall to the bathroom. When she finished brushing her mahogany hair and perfect white teeth she almost ran back to her room stripping off her soft star covered PJ's thinking _not that I'm done completely, I still want to know more, that is if I'm not late first! It takes a whole hour just to reach his place and I'm supposed to be there by seven thirty!_

Cam sighed at the fact that she would be lucky if she got there half an hour late. After climbing into a pair of jeans, and a deep blue tank top she shuffled out her door and down the stairs stopping at the computer room door by the base of the stairs which was emanating a faint yellow glow. Heaving another long winded sigh she walked through saying, "What are you doing up, mom?"

"Couldn't sleep. I hope you have fun and enjoy the transition. I'm really sorry I can't come." This was Amber, Cam's suspiciously young looking mother. She had smooth, straight, blood red hair, that never got frizzy, startling grey eyes, and a light tan that made her skin looked like it held some of the suns' light and reflected it to produce a subtle warm glow. She may have been forty-two but you would never be able to tell that she was any older than twenty-five. She was still wearing her PJ's, which consisted of a pair of black shorts and a loose but close fitting red tank.

"That's ok, I didn't think you'd be able to anyway."

"I'm sorry, see you later sweetie. Oh and don't forget to bring Logan back, I haven't even met him since he became your new trainer six months ago."

Again that flinch, what was with her and the name Logan? "Course, mum." Cam turned around and stepped out of the room and paused before turning back, "Oh, have I mentioned yet, that he's an X-Man?"

"An X-Man… Who?"

"Do you know any other X-Man that has Logan as a name, its Wolverine, duh."

Amber froze and her eyes went wide, "Wolverine?" she whispered slowly.

"Yeah, see you later mum." Cam waved and rushed down the hall.

When she reached the front hall of their classic Victorian style home, she laced up her shoes, grabbed the truck keys off the shelf and went outside. The air was cool but it was supposed to get hot during the day so she was a little guilty when she turned the heat on in their used forest green Jeep Wrangler after she started it. As she revved the truck to warm the engine, she thought about what her mother had said and tried to picture her trainer, Logan, in her house.

_This is going to be interesting. _She thought

Turning off the unmarked road near Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Cam pulled into her usual spot in the small round parking area beside the hidden dirt driveway, and stole a look around the magnificent clearing. From the evergreen trees that shadow the cedar wood door of the cabin to the swaying maples that covered the two vehicles underneath, and all in between; she had always admired the beauty. Cam couldn't believe that the clearing was only discovered by her mentor and teacher. He had done and amazing job with the space by adding a small log cabin and garage that doubled as storage shed. The last thing that demanded her attention was the big, mean, but extremely glossy, Harley Davidson motorcycle, that was splattered with dirt and mud. She ran her eyes over the flames on black finish and couldn't help the sigh that escaped her mouth, she had always wanted to ride Logan's bike but he always avoided answering her question by changing the subject, he was so good at that. Shrugging off her usual squirmy feelings she walked up to the door in the direct center of the cabin.

"Logan?" She called when she stepped into the bright open space of his living room. The cabin was simple and only held the necessities. The kitchen was in the corner to the left of the door behind a small countertop. A small couch was slightly away from the wall facing a brick fireplace. Directly beside the sofa was a small coffee table that held a small black and white photo of a woman who looked strikingly similar to her mother. Next to the photo were half a dozen empty beer bottles.

The only other thing in the room was a slightly dated lamp that sat on a small ledge on the other side of the sofa. The lamp was rarely used though because of the natural light filtering in through the large window that created the ledge the lamp was on.

"In here." was his smooth reply. Cam peeked around the corner to his bedroom which was on the right side of the cabin, and noticed him pulling a white muscle shirt over his coal black hair and tanned muscled back. Logan was a man of vary few words, most of the time.

When they had first met he happened checking up on the school, or so he said, when she got into a fight. She had attempted to use karate against her 'opponent' but when she tried to kick him she lost her balance and he grabbed her foot, causing her to fall to the ground.

That was when Logan stepped in; he seemed to come out of nowhere when he was suddenly gripping the duelers' wrist and twisting his arm behind his back and shoving him to his knees. The crowd that gathered gasped in surprise as they came face to face with the famous X-Man, Wolverine, well famous to them anyway. She had been quite surprised to find that he was shorter than most average men these days, only 5'7, but one thing she wasn't surprised about was the cigar that stuck out of the side of his mouth. She had heard a lot of rumors about him and the other X-Men from her mutant friendly school that was an extended link of Xavier's school for the gifted, and apparently this particular rumor was true.

After he let the subdued student go, he turned and faced Cam with a slightly tilted head and a face that showed no emotion, but his eye brow was raised in question. She didn't know what was going through his head then and by the look on his face she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

The crowd watched the two of them eagerly as Cam got to her feet waiting to see what would happen next.

She had known Wolverine's legend fairly well and she had to admit that she was extremely frightened of him but also in awe.

It was a few moments of awkward silence before he spoke, with a small smirk on his face. He reached up and removed the cigar with his right hand, "Who taught you to fuck up a fight?" He was staring at her mud splattered face, making her feel uncomfortable, but she was too stubborn to look away.

"Look who's talking… I've seen you on occasion, in pictures and on the news, and guess what? I ain't seen anyone else drenched in as much blood as you, especially their own."

Cam saw his eye twitch, but nothing else about him faltered.

"What's the fight about?" He asked her, changing the subject.

"Since when do random people concern you, hmm, Wolverine?" Cam smirked but the smile faded as the muscles in his jaw tightened and a low growl slid through his teeth, before he caught himself and relaxed.

"You should see you face kid, priceless." Then his demeanor turned serious. "Would you like to learn how to fight on your feet rather than your ass?"

It was definitely a surprise when he offered to teach her to fight; it was just as shocking as him showing up at her school, period.

"Do you always offer to teach strangers how to fight?" She questioned, honestly curious and wanting to know more about this supposed animal. It made her want to take his offer, and also, she knew that she really did suck because her karate instructor really shouldn't be instructing.

"Think about it." He turned away from her in an almost disappointed/ disapproving way so he could go back to his Harley, which gleamed where the sun touched the paint.

Logan had walked a few feet away before Cam found her voice again, and what she asked wasn't just curiosity but it had also been to stall him from leaving. "What brings you to good ol' Canada?"

It worked; he paused, then turned around to face her again. He looked slightly confused by the question, and he scratched his cheek through his long sideburns, then took a hefty drag on his cigar before answering the question with a question. "What da ya mean?"

Before Cam could say anything the gym doors that led onto the school's field where they were standing opened and the Principle came out, looking grumpy.

"What's going on here?" the burly man's voice came. Principle Luis was tall about six feet and heavily muscled, not unlike Logan. "Prince Luis, we were, I, we…" a boy from the crowed stammered

"Save it Terrence." Prince Luis held his hand up in a shut up or you get detention fashion.

"Prince Luis?" Logan burst out laughing, not even trying to be discreet. Amazingly though Principle Luis didn't do anything but a small smile started at the corner of his lips.

"Yes, that is the affectionate nick name this large group of annoying teenagers has given me. I should have known a fight would break out the second _you_ turn up."

Barley containing his amusement he slowly made his way over to Prince Luis. "Well, Prince Luis…" he chuckled, "Everything good here?" Logan stopped just in front of Prince Luis and looked up at his face. Cam saw no trace of panic at the difference in their size even after Prince Luis used his mutant power to grow in size till he stood no smaller than eight feet high.

Being an empath with telepathic abilities like her mother Cam picked up a bit on Logan's mood, he felt confident with himself to the point of excitement when a fight could happen, but other than the surface emotions everything else deep down felt primal. Suddenly on the astral plane Cam felt the walls of Logan's mind shut and push her out. She didn't know he had psychic shields.

She looked up from where she stood staring at her feet with her eyes closed in concentration to find Logan staring at her with narrowed eyes. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. She hadn't even notice that she tuned in to him, guess she needed more practice.

He just grunted in acceptance, he must have it happen all the time at the institute but he still didn't look happy.

"Did Charles send you Logan?"

"I was already coming this way, he just asked me to stop by when I had the time." He looked west towards the Rockies and back to Prince Luis.

"Well it's certainly been good to see you again Logan."

"Yeah, you to Stevens."

Logan turned around and started to walk away but stopped when he was opposite Cam. "One week, that's how long I'll give you to decide." He started off to his bike again.

"But… how will I find you?" Logan stopped and took a drag on his cigar, then turned his head halfway back to answer her question.

"You won't have to, 'cause I'll find you."

After he was gone and Prince Luis had dragged every last detail out of Cam about Logan's offer, he had gone on and on about how Logan was a good guy with rough edges and that she should take him up on the offer, but at the same time was telling her to watch her back because he was dangerous, even to himself. Hell everyone knew the Wolverine was dangerous, but the part that confused her was that out of everyone he could have offered to teach, he had offer it to her.

She still didn't get it.

"Can I come in?" He turned around to face her and gave her a bit of a glare. She glanced at his face, it had long rich but closely shaven sideburns that come down to but not on his chin, his eyes an attractive but cold cobalt blue that gleam silver in the right light, and his skin, heavily tanned suggested he'd spent most of his life outside. Absolutely not the look of a drunk smoker like prince Luis said he was.

He shook his head, "you'd better get ready so we can get to your mom as soon as possible, since yeh've put us behind schedule." He turned back to what he was looking at on his bed, clearly a dismissal.

"Ok." As she said this she headed out and around to the second door on the wall, the bathroom. _To my mom? _She thought, _how does he know about that?_

After she left Logan opened his eyes and looked down at what he had laid out on his bed, his magnificent sword and a black belt. He couldn't remember where he got them from or what he had gotten them for, but his best guess was that they were from Japan. However he did know that the sword was a meitou katana, one of the Japanese named samurai blades; how he knew this he wasn't sure, or where the blades name came from. Ornthrond was its name but of course like the rest of his past he could only remember the bits, and this bit didn't include what the blades' name meant.

The sword its self had three main colors, red, black, and gold. The lower half of the scabbard was metallic red with black flecks and there was black decoration accented with gold on the bottom. The upper half was red dyed leather with more black and gold decoration and a black rope grip. The hilt of the sword had a black round guard rimed in gold, decorated with gold images of battling samurai. The grip had a base of red leather, which looked as if it had been designed to look like scales, with raised black leather wrapped overtop. The pommel was decorated similarly to the base of the scabbard. It was a beautiful sword that looked as though it was meant to be a wall piece but Logan knew otherwise, even though the blade was unmarked he could tell that it had at least once met the edges of another.

The strangest thing about this sword was not its condition or in any way how it looked but how it felt to Logan. It was as if the blade called to him; he could always feel it when he was near it. It was something that he had never experienced with anything before.

He picked it up off the bed and slid the blade out of the scabbard five inches and stared at the three small holes that were spaced half an inch apart from each other. The holes seemed purposefully made to Logan as they were very precise in dimension and spacing, however he didn't know why, as like with everything else. The holes also had no interference with the blades integrity. He closed his eyes and placed the sword tip first in the corner of his small cramped bedroom and covered it once again with a sheet to conceal its presence. Going back to the bed Logan grabbed the belt and the left the room with a loud bang of the door.

Outside behind the garage in a small spot where he had earlier set up a small table Logan laid the belt on it. The belt was a dark black, inlaid with a continuous silver gold loop that sparkled in a crisscross pattern on the thick fabric. He was glad that it would finally be in grateful hands and be taken care of; it had been sitting in his small room for a long time.

"I'm ready." said Cam walking up, in a pair of black yoga pants, black shirt, and a dark brown belt; she had pulled her thick long burgundy hair into a ponytail. She glanced at Logan with eyes that matched his completely, though hers lacked the silver gleam, as she entered the small space of grass they work on and bowed.

"Wow, it's so beautiful!" said Cam as she tied the special black belt to her thin waist.

Logan was looking her straight in the eye when she lifted her head to meet his gaze, and he spoke, "you must promise me something."

"Anything!" She said and then thought about what she said and that he may ask for a promise she couldn't keep.

"You must take care of this belt better than the others, it can't be replaced.. Please tell me you'll take good care of it." Cam looked at him breathing a huge sigh of relief; this promise was at least one she could definitely keep.

"I swear." With that they headed back inside so Cam could change.

As Cam changed Logan went back to his room and once again uncovered Ornthrond. When he reached out and grabbed the elegant but menacing hilt he felt a familiar drive to go in a specific direction (this time west); the feeling like he needed to find something. Instead of ignoring it he contemplated the urge. This time a different feeling came with the regular, he had a feeling he wasn't coming back to this place anytime to soon. So as a last decision he buckled the attached leather strap over his shoulder. When the buckle connected Ornthrond's hilt protruded over his right shoulder. Satisfied and the urge temporarily stifled he headed out to wait for Cam by the vehicles. After a few feet Logan halted with his wide eyes locked on the vehicle that Cam drove. Going up to the Jeep he noticed a long shallow scratch that stretched from the wind shield to the grill, but multiplied three times with the middle one slightly longer.

"Wow! What's that on your back? Is that a katana?!" Asked Cam, as she ran up from behind, then in concern, she asked, "What's wrong?" When she noticed he mentors stiff stride.

"Never mind the katana, how long have you had this vehicle?" He walked slowly up to the hood and ran his right hand along the triple scratch that was permanently set into the deep forest green paint using his index, middle and ring fingers.

"I don't know, for as long as I can remember, before I was born maybe; why do you ask?" Cam was confused; she had no idea why the scratch, that looked like it had come from a cougar or a large cat, would bother her teacher when nothing else seems to faze him, and why would the age of her jeep matter? Sure it was old, but it worked. That's all that mattered.

"Just thought I recognized it from somewhere, that's all." When Logan touched the scratch on the freezing cold hood, he knew that he himself had put there, many years ago. With a deep sigh he turned to his bike and got on, put in the key and revved the engine. "You ready to go?" From inside her jeep Cam nodded and pulled out letting Logan fallow.

As they were winding down the long logging roads before reaching the paved, Cam noticed as she looked out her rearview mirror that Logan didn't have a helmet on. He also looked like he was a little annoyed because she was going slowly to save her tires. How strange she thought as she reached Hazel Ave. She looked once again out the rear view mirror and saw Logan shake his head and smile, she laughed once and sped up, knowing that it still wouldn't be fast enough for him.

***Again Reviews are helpful and I love to here what you think :) Don't forget that it keeps me writing too so please Review!***


	2. Chapter 2 : Memories of the Past

***Disclaimer: If you recognize it it's not mine (most likely) and even so, this isn't making me any money...***

Chapter 2

Memories of the Past

Logan sauntered forward while Cam went ahead of him to open the door for them. He looked at the small two story house while moving forward. He took in the well kept lawn and hanging baskets with blooming flowers that surrounded the front entryway. The house its self was nothing remarkable but seemed nice. Logan continued to the door as Cam let her mom know they were there and she let him inside. Amber walked to the top of the stairs as Logan walked through the door. He looked up at her and his eyes immediately narrowed to slits and his hands to fists. As he took in her bright red hair, soft grey eyes, white blouse and dark wash jeans he felt a foreign but familiar presence touch his mind. It quickly sifted through his memories and managed to find one that Logan thought was forever gone. Erased. Looking at Amber was like looking into a past long forgotten.

_**1988**_

In the dead of night Logan peered around the smoky brick chimney that hid him from the group of armed men that were going about their rounds below. This was his assignment after the others had failed. Explore the town without being seen find the sword that was stolen from his armory, get it and get out. Unfortunately since the first man that Logan sent, hadn't come back he had wondered if they had decided to post patrols, he was right. Only the last man he had sent out had come back, his friend Marcus, and that was because he was a mutant with a teleporting ability so he hadn't been caught, but he had to abandon the mission because of how many men were there. Logan had decided he would go himself since it was his own sword that was taken…

There were three soldiers down on the ground near him, nothing he couldn't handle. The problem was getting to the towns armory because that was where the sword was most likely to be. On top of that the armory was in the middle of town.

It was a small town not many residents, only around a hundred, but a hard layout to penetrate using stealth. If one were to follow the roofs like Logan was attempting, they were too far apart to misjudge, without falling and there were constant patrols going down the alleys. The buildings of the town were in a neat half circle around a church and the river, but with an inner circle, middle circle and an outer circle with additional security around that.

The outer semi-circle was made up of all war personnel such as the weaponry and trades such as a black smith and that was the part with the most security, unfortunately now that he was here he could tell that he would have to get to the center ring, the sword wasn't in the weaponry.

The middle rows were all the housing, personal or public. The inner was all the bakeries and flower shops and such. The very center was a well, right in the middle of the church.

The town it's self sits right next to a glacial river that flows down the small valley that the village sits in, which cuts some of the land away leavening a small sandy river beach. The beach stretches a mile in both directions away from the town, so the town looks like a big donut with a bite taken out of it. The town was completely surrounded by forest on all sides except for the one gravel road that was the only way to and from the village unless you prefer bush waking.

Contemplating his next move Logan thought about how to get to the inner ring without being spotted, he figured get as close as he could on the roofs and then go the rest of the way on foot. He knew that this was the safest and fastest route but also the hardest, he also didn't exactly know the patrols and if he made a wrong move he would be in trouble.

As Logan inspected the amount of space to the next roof, a soldier passed bellow, worrying him. The soldier, was taking no chances and was obviously very good at his job. He looked up from where he was standing and noticed Logan's dark outline against the deep green roof that was black in the dusk that surrounded them. Immediately the soldier stalked forward rifle raised in hand, gun loaded. _Damn it!_ Thought Logan, _this is it._

In that split second decision Logan rocked back on his heels and hurled himself at the roof he had been studying. Just as he left, the soldier's bullet pierced the air where he had been previously crouching. Unfortunately even with his enhanced senses he had still misjudged the distance between the two roofs and only just managed to get his torso above the gutter.

While struggling blindly to climb up, the other soldiers around him on the ground grabbed at his legs trying to yank him down. Right before Logan got a good hold on the shingles of roof holding him up, the structure collapsed underneath his belly and deposited him on the ground with a load of debris. As his feet struck the ground Logan rolled himself off to the side and got up in a swift motion, and allowed himself a quick glance at the faulty roof of the blacksmiths'. A rotten beam! This was his luck! Just then he heard a man coming up from behind, he wiped around but didn't have enough time to evade, he had wasted his reaction time by looking at the rotten timber. Logan got just a glimpse at the man just as he brought a heavy mace down on his head, then everything went black.

Extremely woozy and slightly incoherent Logan looked around from his crumpled spot on the dry, coarse dirt. He noticed that the hit had just been moments ago, the soldiers milled around seaming to be looking for something. Logan stirred and groaned as a splitting ache racked through his skull.

"Shut up," said a gruff voice somewhere above him, while presumably the same man's hand came down and grabbed his shirt and tried hauled him up, before it shuttered and dropped him once again. With a grumble the man that tried to pick Logan up started pacing.

Logan wasn't sure he was even going to be able to stand but he also didn't feel like waiting on the ground while the painful throb in his head went away. As he rolled to his side to get up he felt a hard tug on his wrists, he looked down at them where they lay on the ground in front of his stomach, and noticed they were bound. _Well no surprise there_, he thought and continued to press his hand in the dirt so he could get his legs underneath him. In the distance he heard voices going back and forth, that would be out of hearing range of a normal person.

"Why isn't he dead?" said the first voice

"How should I know?"

"You were the one that hit him! Did you try to kill him or not?"

"Of course, I got him as hard as the other one!"

Then a third rougher voice came in. "Would you two stop yelling at each other and get him to the cellars already! I'll talk to him in the morning."

Chiming in together the two soldiers said, "Yes sir" and made their way back towards their captive.

Logan looked around after that to find out where he was in relation to the roof he had been on. He was still where he had landed after being struck, close to the blacksmiths rundown looking place, on the outer rim of the town. He figured that the men surrounding him had a hard time seeing in the current light because of their bright flash lights, he was glad that he would be able to see where the soldiers were going to take him, he hoped it was close enough to his sword that he would feel its calling.

Something shoved into his back making him stumble forward to gain his balance. He was still so dizzy.

"Get moving!" was the voice that followed. Logan twisted his head around and found all the soldiers surrounding him once again. Without a noise he stumbled forward in the indicated direction, toward the main plaza, the inner circle. As they walked Logan scolded himself for being stupid enough to let his mind wander away from the task at hand, and to something as stupid as a rotten beam!

When the parade reached the cellars, the sight confirmed Logan's theory, they were the cells, but what he didn't expect was that they were beneath the church. The soldier behind him gave him a prod in the back with the hilt of his dagger to urge him forward and into the even darker darkness of the cellars. They ended up descending only one flight of stairs then going down the far right wing of a W shaped fork in the road. Counting a set of three doors only, till they stopped, Logan began to decide whether or not he was going to make an escape.

But he felt how his two sleepless nights had affected him so he changed his plan. The soldier that kept him with the dagger cut his bound hands and shoved him through the door not waiting for any kind of retaliation. Logan could see almost anything in darkness if there was a little bit of light, but this musty slime covered hole was pitch black, even he couldn't see much, just a small white shape against the wall. Exhaustion took him over as he went to the lumpy mattress and the second he relaxed on the uncomfortable bed he was asleep.

Logan woke to an odd sensation. It felt like someone had grabbed his stomach and was removing it from his body. The feeling was an exact duplicate from when his sword was stolen; he sat up quickly and scented the air. Nothing was off, and even if there was he wouldn't be able to do anything about it, so he relaxed his tensed muscles and leaned against the cell wall, and attempted to figure out what time it was but was unable to get any kind of actual time, although his internal clock and instincts told him it was early in the morning.

Approximately thirty minutes later, Logan heard loud footsteps and voices coming down the stairs. It wasn't very long before thin beams of yellow light and bodies showed up too. From somewhere down the hall the delicious smell of bacon and eggs obscured the musty scent of the cell, and it sent his mouth watering. Still staring at the cells opposite wall he heard the loud click that signaled the door to the cell being opened.

That's when he turned his head and saw what he expected to see, soldiers. There were nine in total, six were standing outside the cell and three were approaching him. Two of the three inside approached him with pistols trained to his chest and the third with ropes in hand. The two in the front were of regular stature, normal height, both had dark hair and heavily sun tanned skin that was obscured by the dirt colored clothes they wore. Around the one on the left smelt like bear and BO, and the other had a heavy cloud of cigarette smoke, the third was different he showed no sign of fear, and he strode forward with arrogant confidence. He was dressed in camouflage clothes, which made his jade green eyes stand out against his lightly tanned skin. The rope he had in his right hand was the same kind as they used last night, it was twine, thick and rough, and equally hard to break. His left hand, although empty, never hovered far from a knife that was stationed on his belt.

"Get up" said the one in the middle, and when Logan didn't move from his position, with hands wrapped around his left knee and his right leg hanging off the side of the bed and wall to his left, the man ordered him to "get up" once again. This time Logan recognized the voice. It was the one belonging to the obnoxious soldier that had his knife pressed into his side most of the night. Internally snarling at the guy, he complied. As he unlocked his fingers and shifted his legs to get up he wondered if it would be easier and faster to break out now or see if negotiation was possible.

Mister knife happy came forward and grabbed Logan's right hand in a way that rubbed dried blood and dirt chunks into skin that was tender from being moist and dirty all night. His wrists were bound tightly behind his back with the twine. A frown quickly adorned his face but was replaced just as quick with nonchalance.

As soon as he was dragged out the door to his cell, his wrists split again and he felt the fresh warm blood spill off his hand and onto the back of his already dirty muscle shirt, camouflage pants and combat boot.

The party of 10 paraded out of the cells and into the brightness of day, which blinded Logan's extremely sensitive eyes momentarily. As soon as he got his eye sight back he noted exactly where he was. It seemed like, from what he could tell that the cells were directly below the building that was supposed to be the church, right in the center of the town. The direction of travel was definitely towards the outer rim of town. When they passed through the middle rim a large crowd gathered around seemingly just to get a look at him, and he found it strange that they looked away if he returned their gaze.

It didn't take long before the procession reached the largest building in the area; he was positive that it was the armory/ weaponry. When they went inside the six extra guards stayed outside barricading the door, and when the rest of them stepped inside he saw why the others weren't needed.

He first noticed the door at the end of the room thirty feet away. Two guards were stationed on either side, next he saw the guards that completely lined the walls behind shelves that adorned the room in two rows. The contents of the shelves were weapons of all kinds, guns, pistols, rifles, shotguns, automatics, semi-automatics, as well as explosives like grenades. There were also lots of knives and daggers, along with the occasional sword and a couple of hand held crossbows.

The room was very long and narrow with a low ceiling; the air was cool and dry thanks to the loud noisy fans hanging on the ceiling. However the thing that he noticed the most was that the closer he got to the building the less sick he felt, and now that he was inside the feeling was gone.

When he turned his head, he saw it, about halfway down the hall a boy that looked eighteen, was holding a long covered object. A low almost inaudible growl slipped out as one thought entered his mind, _Ornthrond_. The boy quickly left the scene through the door at the other end and disappeared with his sword.

A dagger's pommel connected with the strip of skin between his shoulder blades, ordering him to continue forward. When they stepped through the door at the end of the hall the only guard that followed him in was the one holding a knife

Logan stopped short in the doorway as the air drastically changed from the smell of leather, metal and gunpowder to a thick fog of flowery perfume that made his eyes water. He stepped hesitantly into the room and glanced around, it was a pale green room lit by the wall length window on the back. There was a big mahogany desk in the center of the room with a large stack of papers on the right; the boy that had entered earlier with his sword was standing in the corner of the room still holding it with a sheet covering it.

It took Logan a long time to divert his gaze from Ornthrond and when he did they didn't go very far, only up to meet the boy's brown eyes, when they connected his eyes and the boys narrowed. Another growl came from his lips as the boy held Ornthrond tighter.

"Sorry to interrupt your all to important starring contest, but we have more pressing matters to attend to" A man stepped around the large desk, which caused Logan to snap his attention to him and watch the boy from the corner of his eye. The man was lean and tall with thinning gray-brown hair, he was wearing a suit made out of high-quality black fabric with a white button down and a purple tie. He recognized the rough voice from last night.

Logan made no comment and almost bit his tongue to keep from hissing when the man behind him moved his position and shifted the ropes binding his hands to the point that they bled again.

The man came around his desk and sat in a plush green chair in front of him and when he was comfortable he gestured to the chair opposite him which was also plush green. "Have a seat."

"No thanks."

The man looked quite surprised that he'd been refused, "well can I accommodate you at all?"

Logan never spoke he just twisted his hand in their bounds.

"Yes, of course," The man gestured to Logan's hands, "Mick, would you please?" Logan contained a small smile as he felt, and smelt the waves of anger and distrust fall off the man behind him named Mick, but he refrained because he was a master of the poker face.

"But Sir! You can't . . .!" Mick stumbled on his frustrated words.

"You will release him, Mick."

Logan heard a mumbled "yes sir" before he felt the cool blade split the ropes holding his hands. The pressure that was building between his shoulder blades quickly dissipated as his healing factor took effect. He brought his hands around front and rubbed a couple chunks of dried bloody dirt off his wrists to allow them to heal but they oozed fresh blood first. Then he nodded in thanks.

"Well now let's get to the matter at hand, shall we? What would be your name . . .?" Logan saw that man glance at his tags, "soldier?"

"Logan," He watched as the man gave a small frown before brightening up.

"Mine is Kyle, and this, I'm sure you know by now is Mick" Kyle stood up and gestured towards Mick before he held out his hand to shake. Logan shook it.

Now it was Logan's turn to frown. "What's with the friendliness?"

"I don't believe in harsh leadership, but I will be strict with my charges if I have to, you included." Kyle sat back down in his chair seemingly getting back to business. "So, what would be you, and previously, your comrades, reason to visit our peaceful town in such an invading way?"

Logan stared at Kyle before he hesitantly said, "An object disappeared from our camp a few nights ago. I believe that you have it."

"An object? What kind of object, and why would you think that we have it?" Kyle raised an eye brow but looked on Logan with understanding.

"It's a sword, the blade is curved and it was mostly made of red and black leather." Logan stared Kyle down waiting for him to hand back the katana, but it seemed like Kyle had other plans.

"Yes, I believe we _do_ have this sword of yours," the boy in the corner stepped forward behind Kyle holding the sword in the sheet delicately like it would burn him. Kyle grabbed the long object and uncovered it but kept the sheet between his skin and the scabbard. "We found this on the steps of our church three days ago, and when my right hand man tried to pick it up it scalded his hand so bad he won't be able to use it for a month at least. Now tell me," He paused, " if this is yours, why should I give it back?"

_Apparently the kid would have been burnt if he had touched it_, he thought, as he looked into Kyle's eyes and waited. _But why would it burn anyone, it's just a sword!_

"Touch the end of this for me." He held the katana's end out to Logan and he connected his fingers to the scabbard before pulling away slowly and showing his fingers to Kyle. When out of nowhere Mick hit the back of Logan's knee causing him to drop to the floor, but with his lightning fast reflexes Logan spun on his knees and knocked the knife out of his hand. Then he got up and griped Mick's head lifted his left knee and connected the two.

He heard the wet squelch of Mick's nose breaking just before the hot blood made it through his pants. He was just about to punch Mick in the face when he heard the metallic clink of and automatic pistol. He turned around slowly to face Kyle while lowering his hand. He could smell the metallic scent of blood as it gushed out of Mick's nose and he held back a smile in satisfaction.

"Step over beside my desk please Logan," Kyle reached behind himself and the boy who was holding his sword handed Kyle a rag, who passed it to Mick, "Clean yourself up before your nose makes a bigger mess on my floor."

Mick held the cloth to his face and looked at Kyle incredulously, "How can you say that so calmly! That asshole broke my nose!" Logan almost laughed at how Mick's voice sounded now that his nose was broken

"Well, I have a feeling you started it, Mick." Kyle unarmed the gun and placed it on the edge of his desk.

"But, he . . .!" Mick gestured with his right hand towards Logan and took a step forward but stopped when Kyle placed a hand on his chest and said, "That's enough."

Kyle turned back to Logan who was more than slightly amused, "so, your hand isn't burnt . . . ?"

"No. Should it be." Logan said as he watched Kyle place Ornthrond's tip against the ground keeping his hand on the pommel with the sheet in between. Logan couldn't take his eyes off it.

"How bought we cut a deal, hmmm?"

Logan frowned.

Kyle smiled, "It's, nothing much, but since I've got this," he lifted the sword and put it back down, "and I lost a blacksmiths, then you can repair the roof, then leave with your sword." He smiled wider which bothered Logan because he knew he couldn't refuse, unless he planned on making a loud exit

"Fine, but you've got to provide all the equipment, and promise that I will actually be allowed to leave when I'm done."

"Yes, yes, of course. You'll be staying at the Downey house while you're here, and when you are outside of the house Mick will be in charge of you." Kyle said seeming pleased that he had complied.

"Oh and one more thing before you go, your hands will be bound till you get to the house so we don't see a repeat of what happened here." Kyle gestured to Mick's face.

Mick took that as a sign and he strode forward and bound Logan's hands harshly behind his back, stretching and tearing the skin before, once again shoving him out the door.

Logan was just fine with the arrangement, at least he knew how to build, but Mick definitely wasn't happy. He grabbed his knife before they left and he seemed quite keen on trying any excuse to use it.

They were about halfway there when Mick decided to open his can of 'whop ass', which mind you was not very impressive.

"I'll skin you alive, if you so much as put one foot out of line, got it?" Logan heard him trying to catch up then he felt a light pressure on his hands. He turned around and found that Mick took a little spill in the only pile of mud on the street, face first to. Logan just sighed and walked off a foot or two to lean on a tree to wait.

When Mick got up he wiped his face with his hand wincing when he bumped his nose. Logan noticed and smelt the blood soaked earth that Mick had removed and it looked awful. When Mick was done spitting out mud then he made his way over towards Logan found his knife in the mud and went to rinse it in the nearby river. Meanwhile Logan looked around at the beautiful snow capped mountains that seemed to surround the valley and he felt the longing for the Rockies' in Canada. His home, more or less apart from all the traveling he did for the military. His gaze quickly snapped back to Mick the second he felt the other man watching him. Logan scowled at him till Mick started to once again move down the road, and then he followed him.

_This was going to be one hell of a time._

When they reached the Downey house Mick had one last thing to say. "Don't touch anything. Got it?" Logan just stared back at him, slightly confused as the man's tine didn't seem to intend actual objects. After a moment Mick opened the door then shoved him inside and followed behind, announcing their presence.

"Mary you've got company." Logan heard the banging of cutlery and pans in the next room, a shorter thin woman about 40 years old, with burgundy hair and stunning blue eyes walked out of the kitchen.

"You should have told me sooner Mick, otherwise I would have prepared more lunch." Mary wiped her wet hands on her cooking shoal and reappraised the two men in her door way. "Mick Trowel what have you been doing? Sleeping with the pigs?" Laughing it off she said "No matter you can head upstairs to clean yourself of momentarily." Then she stuck out her hand out and said, "And you would be?"

"Lo …" He rolled his eyes as he was interrupted.

"That's probably not a very good idea Mary." Mick tried to point out that he was a captive and violent, but she wouldn't hear it.

"I've had many of your so called violent captives in my house Mick and none have been anything but gentlemen, unlike you." Mary shot him a dirty look. "What would be your name sir?"

"Lo ..." Logan sighed as he was interrupted again.

"Mom, who's there? It sounds like Mick and some other guy, is it another "tenet?"" The next minute there was a petite girl in the stairwell. She looked no older then nineteen and really beautiful. Her fair complexion almost blinded Him.

"Who are you?" she commented, "I've never seen you before, and why are your hands bound?" her brow wrinkled a little as she contemplated the problem.

"We were just trying to sort that out when you interrupted, Amber. Now why don't you apologize to him for being so rude?" Mary looked very sternly at her nearly adult daughter until the girl gave up with a sigh.

"I'm sorry I interrupted you, please continue." Then she looked more closely at Mick and Logan. She scrutinized Mick's face and turned her gaze to Logan's, she seemed slightly indifferent about seeing a new face in her home, but she definitely didn't seem pleased to see Mick.

"My name is Logan." Logan nodded his head forward. Then he twisted his hands and looked down at the blood that was pooling up on the wood floor behind his feet, the origins of the blood stung but it gave his wrists a nice slick feel, the perfect release from the scratchy rope. "Sorry about your floor."

"Oh, for heaven's sake release his hands, he won't do anything. If you don't I will, with a knife from the kitchen." Mary looked between Logan's bound hands and the dagger that Mick had pressed to his side, until Mick grabbed Logan's right hand letting the left dangle and spliced through the rope.

"You happy now Mary?" Mick said sarcastically.

With a sigh of relief Logan murmured the word thanks and rubbed his healing but still bloody, dirt covered wrists. He was slightly surprised when no one noticed when they were healed, it was probably the dirt's fault, but he was thankful for it as well.

Mary ignored Mick and turned to Logan, "You are very welcome Logan. Now honey why don't you help this man clean up his wrists and then show him his room. And you Mr. Trowel will clean up this mess before it stains the wood." Mary went back into the kitchen and soon the house was filled with the smell of grilled cheese and chocolate cookies. Amber rushed over and grabbed Logan's newly freed right hand and started to drag him over to the stairs and away from the glowering Mick.

"Come on! Wait till you see the view!" Amber raced up the stairs and down the straight hall, with her bright flaming red hair streaming out behind her, till she came to the second door on the left, the last one in the hall. She showed Logan his suite. It contained a bedroom that held a double bed, a small balcony with sliding glass doors, a comfy looking chair and a bed side table.

As Logan walked through the door the smell of the room hit him like a wave, smoothly but stiff and strong, it smelt like mountain pine. The hall had been almost completely odor less. It surprised him that the smell could be so intense in one room but also so refreshing, maybe it was just him. The bathroom door was off to the right, a door just beside the balcony. It opened to a small blue room that contained a vanity closest to the right of the door and a white porcelain toilet beside it. In the far left corner was a standing shower stall with perforated glass. This room too had a strong smell of pine but was more faint then the bedroom.

Amber led him past the bedroom and onto the balcony. It had an amazing view of the gentle glacial river and the snow capped mountains behind it. It looked like the perfect scene, stunning, but his sightseeing was cut short when Amber led him back to the bathroom and got him to sit on the edge of the toilet, which he did without complaint, but an exasperated sigh attempted an escaped.

When Amber was done fishing around under the sink, she emerged with two rages, a couple wraps and cleansing ointment.

"Let's take a look at those," said Amber as she motioned towards his hands. With a quiet sigh he held his right hand in front of her as she kneeled beside him on the ground.

"There's no point you know"

While dabbing at the wet and crusty crimson liquid Amber questioned "What are you talking about?" Then as she washed away what was left of the blood and dirt Amber could only stare with wonder as she held Logan's perfectly fine hand. After a long uncomfortable silence she whispered, "I see what you mean." He heard her swallow, but her position didn't change, and he could detect no anxiety in her scent, she wasn't afraid. Then she quickly got up and rinsed the cloth and when back to finish cleaning his other hand.

Shocked Logan asked, "It doesn't bother you?" as he tried to catch her eye.

Clearly avoiding the contact she mumbled "should it?"

"I don't see how it wouldn't." He commented still trying to make eye contact. She looked up at him. Logan thought that he would capture her eyes in his gaze to draw out answers, but instead he got caught up in their stunning grey beauty.

Finishing quickly Amber got up and put the stained rag in a garbage can under the sink before she stored the unused ointments in a red first aid kit. When done she stood up straight, leaned slightly on the counter, and stared at Logan then spoke. "Well?"

"Well what?" He looked back into her deep absorbing eyes, but this time held his own against their power, though it wasn't easy.

She gestured at his clean hands, "You certainly can't go downstairs looking like that, the ropes were soaked with your blood he isn't going to believe that your wrists are fine."

No he couldn't, she was right, it would start a never ending reign of questions. He stood up and looked out a small window that over looked the back edges of the quiet town, and he could see that the beach stretched a fair ways down. Then he answered. "Your right, something needs to be done." He looked back at her, and she dropped her eyes. "What do you suggest?"

She fidgeted clearly a bit uncomfortable, "Um… we could wrap them loosely with some cloth and say that the cuts weren't as bad as they looked?"

He gave a _Humph_ and said, "Not a bad idea kid."

She quickly looks up, her face furious. "I'm not a kid!" Logan watched taken aback as she stormed out of the bathroom and slammed herself down in the chair by a small fireplace opposite the bed.

"Whoa, chill, no need to break the chair." He walked out of the bathroom and slowly approached Amber but went no farther than the edge of the bed.

"Well, if everyone stopped calling me kid I wouldn't have to break the chair!" Logan watched Amber's face go from a color almost identical to her hair to a light shade of pink, which overall gave a nice contrast to the coordinately green room. It made her look stunning.

"Who calls you kid?" He watched her reaction closely.

"Why would that matter to you?" She looked him in the eye daring him to tell the truth, but he could also tell her anger was short lived.

He shrugged giving no answer, and then looking out the sliding glass doors that lead onto the balcony. The sun was bright and shinning, making him squint a little. The awkward silence dragged on, neither saying anything, neither feeling like they had something to say.

"Well, guess I should wrap your wrists, then, and go." She got up and headed back into the bathroom; Logan shifted his positing to watch. When Amber came back she wrapped his wrists loosely, no words were spoken as she finished and walked to the door, until she turned to face him in the doorway.

"After you've had time to settle down and explore the room lunch should be about done downstairs and I would like it if you would join us." She gave the hint of a smile, and her eyes were sincere.

Logan gave a small smile, "I'll be there."

"Great," She gave a slight nod and turned around.

"Wait."

Amber turned back towards him slowly, "What is it?" she asked cautiously.

"When you said that 'he isn't going to believe your wrists are fine' why were you only implying that Mick is the only one who won't understand?"

"Well… My mom and I… we… understand that there are people who are more… special than others. Mick and everyone else don't," she looked at him closely and for some reason he felt oddly exposed in her gaze. He didn't give Amber a reply and after another moment Amber smiled and headed out the door.

_**Present day**_

There was a rush that swirled around in his head_, whoa, what happened_ he thought but before he could make out anything in his vision, he once again felt as if something was picking around inside his brain. The presence felt angry and it was pulsing in his head, must be mad from having the memory slip away. He was upset too, he was enjoying it, but once again he fell into the past.

**1990**

He was driving a jeep wrangler down a long narrow dirt road, it was dark out and he was heading back to the Brazilian base. It had been three long days since he had left Amber there all alone and he couldn't wait to get back to her. A rescue mission they had sent him on, as if someone else couldn't have gone, why did he have to go? "Because even if you die you come back," well that's what General Glanshire said . . . like he hadn't heard that one before. Logan sniffed the air and cringed, the metallic tang of the soldier's blood on the backseat was getting stronger. He pulled over and got out just to climb into the back to attempt to stem the flow.

"How you doing there?" the man looked up at Logan and gave a small smile.

"I'm dying aren't I?" Logan thought about this question, he could lie to the man that was lying in front of him and say that he would be alright, but he wasn't stupid. The bullet had hit between the mans ribs and was lodged up against a lung. Internal bleeding was most likely. When Logan didn't answer, the soldier took that as a bad sign and nodded, he was suffering with an unrecoverable wound. "Can I ask a favor from you Major?" Logan gave a small depressed laugh; he pressed a spare shirt against the open wound.

"How many times do I hav' ta tell ya to call me Logan?"

The soldier smiled, ". . . Could you bring me back to my girl at camp, and if I'm not here to say it, could you tell her that I love her, that I love her beyond all else?"

"Aye, I can do that, but hang on and I'll get you there so you can tell her yourself."

"Thank you . . .Logan." They both gave the other small smiles. This would probably be their final good bye. Again Logan cursed his healing factor, he's fought against so many men, and they have all fallen against his wrath. But when one of his friends or comrades go down he can't do anything about it, just stand by and watch as everyone and everything he's every cared about disappears as he stands and out lives it all.

He climbed back into the driver's seat put the vehicle in drive and took off as fast as he possibly could without jarring his precious cargo.

An hour later he stopped at the gate to camp. A guard stepped lazily out of the small gatehouse and sauntered over to the jeep, making Logan growl under his breath, too low for anyone with normal hearing to notice. The guard tapped the window, Logan rolled it down and leaned out.

"Got clearance for this gate?" The man tipped his hat back and placed a hand on his belt, it held a couple grenades, a semi-automatic pistol and two spare clips. He looked down quickly at his clipboard and asked again, "Name?"

Logan gave an impatient sigh, "Major Logan," The lazy guard looked down his list and frowned.

"Sorry Major you don't seem to be on the list for access to this division's gate, you're going to have to go around to the east gate." Logan glowered and opened his door to get out. Immediately the guard's face adopted a frightened look, everyone in this camp had heard different rumors about him and none of them all that good, except his ability to keep his charges alive during a skirmish. Right now, Logan could tell that one of the nastier rumors about himself was running through this man's head. He decided to play up that fear; he leaned forward and got in the guards face and grabbed the front of his shirt. Even though he was half a head shorter than this particular guard, he could have been a foot taller than him for how he was acting now.

"Look, bub! I've got a dying soldier in the back and I have orders to bring him to Glanshire. I am not going to take precious minuets driving around when there's an operational gate right in front of me! Now open it unless you want his blood on your hands!"

"Ye, ye, yes, sir!" Logan let go of the man's shirt, grunted and jumped back into the jeep. The guard had run back to the gate house and was unlocking the hinge the other guard had begun to open the other side of the gate.

Logan had left the jeep idling so he put it in drive and sped forward through the half open gate, and down the narrow lane that led directly to the medical tent. When he got there he slammed the jeep into park and jumped out leaving the door open. A nurse came out of the tent to find out what the noise was and almost ran into Logan.

"Watch it." Logan almost snarled

"Oh, sorry Logan, is everything alright?" Logan was glad that it was Judy who came out, she was the only nurse in the camp that he liked. The automatic frown that crept onto his face when he thought about David in the back of the jeep alerted Judy that things weren't going good. "What is it!? What's wrong!?" He lightly grabbed Judy's wrist and pulled her to the jeep's rear door. When he opened it, he let her wrist go.

"Is there anything you can do for him?" Judy made a sharp gasp and quickly climbed into the back seat.

"What happened?" She looked back at Logan with concern, but he ignored it and hopped into the driver's seat.

"He got shot, between his fourth and fifth ribs, the bullet seems to be up against his right lung, probably internal bleeding." Soon he stopped outside the Generals' tent. He killed the engine and grabbed the radio that was sitting on the dashboard, he turned it on.

A crackly voice came over the speaker, "Logan?"

"Yah, it's me, I'm just outside Glanshire's tent, look I need you to come here, it's . . . about David."

"David!? Is he okay? Please tell me he's okay!"

"Why don't you come see for yourself Heather?"

"I'm on my way."

He put the radio back down on the dash and jumped out. He opened the back and addressed Judy, "How's it going back there?" She didn't turn; a crimson cloth that was once pure white was pushed into David's side, right beside the shirt.

"I can't stop the blood, and you were right Logan, the bullet has ruptured his right lung and he has extensive internal bleeding." She looked over at David's face, "I'm so, so sorry David."

Logan sighed, "Let's bring him into the tent, Glanshire wanted to speak with him." Judy nodded, and moved to get out of the jeep. He stepped out of the way so she could hop out and then he climbed in and leaned towards David, "Common yah got ta help me get yah out of the jeep." David's face was pale white as he attempted to get out of the jeep, Logan helped him sit up and slide out. Judy caught him as his feet hit the ground. After David was leaning against the vehicle Logan jumped out and picked him up without waiting for him to consent.

Logan had David's head leaning against his left shoulder with his left arm holding his torso and his right arm underneath David's legs. The hundred and seventy pound man was nothing for Logan to carry, but still Judy was worried, "Are you sure you have him? He won't fall, will he?" Logan did his best to ignore her.

When he got inside the tent a bench was set up with pillows on the right just behind the door flap. There was a table that had been pushed off to the left of the tent and General Glanshire was going over maps of all sizes that showed the different villages of the area, and how to get there. He set David down on the bench, and stood to look at the General as Judy once again tended to David.

Glanshire looked over to see the commotion. "Ah Logan, it's about time you got back, what's this?" he moved towards the small group of three and away from the soldier he was previously addressing.

"What does it look like Glanshire, he got shot." The General glared at Logan and raised an eyebrow in question.

"So what part of the mission went amiss then, was it his fault," he pointed at David, "or, was it your fault?" He pointed at Logan. Logan opened his mouth to make a retort but was cut off by a quiet wheezing sound.

"Shit happens," David crocked, "it wasn't Logan's fault." He swallowed loudly.

"Then what happened soldier?" Glanshire spoke with a slight distaste, as he addressed Logan.

It was David who answered, "Logan came in and waited just the way he was supposed to, but I screwed something up when I was leaving the compound, and I got detected." David's eyes had been on the General as he spoke but they were closed by the time he had finished speaking, and blood was dribbling out the corner of his mouth.

A few more words were passed about David's mission and Logan's rescue before Heather showed up. She came in all excited and happy but when she saw who was on the bench tears weld up and spilled onto her cheeks.

"David?" A sob escaped from Heathers throat as she kneeled down by his head, and caressed it. His eyes opened and he smiled slightly.

"Heather, my dear Heather, I love you so much." He wrapped his free right arm around her and cradled her close.

"No, no, no, you can't leave me." Heather's words were harsh whispers around the tent, everyone could feel the pain inside of them.

"Everything will . . . work out in the end. Just . . . never forget . . . that you are my life." He gave her a sharp kiss on her lips, and leaned back into the comfort of the pillows and closed his eyes. For a few moments everything was quiet, as silent tears fell freely down Heather's face, and the shallow rasp of David's breath got quieter and quieter.

Soon the only one able to hear his shallow breath was Logan, and along with his last few, the final words he spoke, "Thank . . . you . . ."

Logan quickly stepped forward and as he touched David's cold shoulder he whispered, "Your welcome." And he knew that his words were heard when as the last exhale from David was accompanied with a content, satisfied expression.

Logan had left shortly after, leaving the jeep behind he walked off to find Amber. When he got down to their tent he could immediately tell something was wrong. Her stuff was gone, but her sent was fresh, and he could feel her through their psychic link, but she was hiding where she was from him, in fact she had almost completely cut herself off. He began to worry a bit but decided to ask Marcus to save himself from having to hunt her down; next to himself Mark was the only other person Amber was close to. He crossed the small lane and moved down to the mechanics shop. Mark was hunched over an engine with grease covering almost every available surface of his body and clothes. The smell of the grease monkeys and their sweat in the small area was intense especially when he didn't have a beer to dull down his senses a bit.

He came up behind Mark walking quietly enough that it was silent to the normal ear. "What you up to Mark?" With the first sound that came out of Logan's mouth Mark jumped, hitting his head on the trucks hood.

He turned exclaiming, "Man, you gotta stop doing that! Sneaking up on people ain't nice." Logan half smiled then it dropped to a frown.

"You know where Amber is, don't you?" Mark grabbed a rag from off a table somewhere behind him and wiped his hands on it, while leaning against the trucks grill.

"Not a clue." He watched with a careful eye and took in Mark's careful breath. Logan's gaze narrowed.

"You've gotten better at lying to me but you ain't there yet, now tell me where Amber is." His voice was unintentionally a growl, threatening was describing it lightly.

Mark backed away a step before he bumped into the truck, he looked back at the engine he was working on and sighed. "I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it from you."

"Keep what from me?"

Mark sighed again and put the rag back down. "Amber left."

Logan was taken aback, and his reply came in a snarl. "What do you mean she left?"

He could feel the tell tale signs of his rage setting in, especially when he saw Marks eyes widen. Struggle for control quickly became a problem as the beast within reared its ugly head. His fists clenched till his knuckles turned white, his eyes cooled even more from his ice blue and turned silver with a slightly elongated pupil. His sight shifted and got even sharper than it was before but was overlaid with a red haze, when he say Mark jump forwards toward him, his body already zinging with the energy needed to teleport them. Logan closed his animalistic eyes and took deep breaths to avoid hurting Marcus.

It was a mere moment before the energy from Marcus pulsed down his body, and when Logan opened his eyes he was in the middle of a small enemy camp, but he could smell Mark close. _Figures, _thought Logan, but he gladly accepted the small gift Mark gave him. This camp must have been here for a while, Mark obviously knew that since he did quick patrols every now and again at the General's request; Amber must have told him she was leaving at least a couple days ago, otherwise these soldiers would have been destroyed already.

The group around him was about 50 armed and trained soldiers by the looks of it, _They must have only been left here because they knew I was going to lose_ _it, _that thought didn't sit well with him in fact in made his anger worse.

By now his rage had consumed him and the beast inside him took control. All the strings holding him to his sanity were almost completely severed, he was Wolverine as he extended his claws and dismembered five soldiers before the rest even noticed. He jumped, kicked, and spun, and slashed as he let his fury out on the helpless people who didn't see it coming. He could tell he was being shot at by the sound of bullets and the feel of the quick wind currents, but in this bought of rage his finesse didn't seem to leave him, as it usually does, for not one of the bullets connected with his flesh.

Less than ten minutes has passed and the camp had been destroyed, but Logan's fury was far from gone. He was standing near what had been the camps fire, his breathing was still heavy with the exertion but he was a long way from being tired. He smelt the air burn beside himself on his right, half a second before Mark became visible.

His claws had retracted with the last person he had dispatched, but now his right hands claws extended. They rested just below Mark's chin, the side two straddling his neck and the middle pressed against his Adams apple. Logan growled and bared his teeth.

Mark took a sharp breath, and again Logan felt the air burn so he pushed his hands forward and fully extended his middle claw towards Mark's exposed throat but the man was gone. The beast within him howled in frustration and the sound escaped out his mouth. He wasn't in control and what small amount that he felt he had left had was slipping away.

Somewhere off in the woods before him he heard the crackle of a radio and a whispering voice, "He's gone out of control; I need you to send Agent Zero with a tranquilizer … Alright … I'll be there in a moment, but we have to be fast before he finds me or leaves."

Logan gave a sinister chuckle that held no humor and he took off into the bush with the full speed of a tiger. When he reached Marcus he was already juiced up ready to leave. He planted his hands on Marks shoulders and in about two seconds they showed up beside General Glanshire's tent.

Logan regained enough control to leave his claws housed in his arms, but his eyes revealed that he was still far from control, and when he stepped around an unconscious Mark he laughed a sadistic laugh.

**2010**

The dizziness and disorientation that came from coming out of the memory was less this time but the effect was way worse. He froze, eyes wide, breathing heavy, and he continued to hear the sadistic laugh that had came out of his mouth. He started to tremble as he recalled just how out of control he had been, at that moment in time he had lost all forms of humanity that he had managed to keep for so long. So why was he standing here now? So why wasn't he somewhere off in the woods destroying everything in his path? When he had knocked Marcus unconscious all other restraints disappeared and the beast was completely free. What had given back his control, but took away all of his memories?

He saw Amber slide towards him, arms outstretched with concern clearly in her eyes and on her face. He didn't remember anything of what they shared, in the last memory flash he had felt the whole hearted trust he had for her, his love and devotion for her and his respect, though he couldn't remember how it came to that. Not to mention that she had caused him to become that very thing he hated most, a sadistic killer, his darkest side. How could he trust her now? Everything good and worthwhile in his life crumbled to dust when she left him.

Logan stumbled back nearly tripping over his own feet in an effort to get farther away from her.

"No! Wait!" She called out to him, but the call fell on deaf ears as time slowed down to the pace of a snail around him, and he felt his anger stir as it had not stirred since that gruesome day. _She had left him! _The thought hurt and he didn't like it especially because he only knew the beginning and end.

She must not have been able to tell quite what was going on because she continued forward. He quickly turned and strode back towards his Harley and put the key in the ignition. The concentration of trying to calm his anger resulted in the loss of acknowledgement to his senses, and he didn't know that Amber had followed him till she placed a hand on his.

His muscles locked down and the beast screamed at him, but he managed to muzzle it and shut it back in its cage. He took his hand back, and straddled his bike, avoiding Amber's gaze. What was wrong with him? He hadn't felt this out of control for years. He needed to get out of here. Perhaps he could ask Charles for help to get his new found memories in order? He started the engine.

"Logan?" Amber tried to catch his eyes, _"James?" _she whispered when he didn't acknowledge her.

A shutter went down his back. The name sounded familiar but he knew nobody who went by it. So why did she just say it and why did he react? He had automatically lifted his head to the sound of the name, like it was his. But he didn't go by anything other than Logan or Wolverine; he didn't even know his real name or know of a last name at all. Was it possible that _James_ could be his real name?

When his eyes connected with Amber's endless gray pools, his breathing got a little ragged and he felt the need to feel her touch. Where there was passion though, there was his lingering fury too.

Logan escaped the only way he could, he put gas through the lines of his bike to fuel the engine and he sped away from her shocked face. He was sure that she had said or tried to say more than just those few words to him, but all he had heard was the turmoil in his own head. _What was all_ _this_ he wondered? _How is it all connected, how were_ we _connected? And a _psychic link,_ we had a _psychic link!?

***Again Reviews are helpful and I love to here what you think :) Don't forget that it keeps me writing too so please Review!***


	3. Chapter 3 : A Change of Plans

***Disclaimer: If you recognize it it's not mine (most likely) and even so, this isn't making me any money...***

Chapter 3

A Change of Plans

She was shocked and confused; there was no other way to describe her feelings. After all the years of searching for some kind of clue as to where Logan was and all along he had found her, and she hadn't even known it!

Amber was oblivious to the van that pulled up and too Camryn greeting her friend Camelle Sterling and her mom Sofia, who had been Amber's best friend since before, she moved to Brazil.

The thoughts in Amber's head were passing through slowly, no doubt because of her frozen position of arms locked to her sides and mouth open so far that it was a wonder that she couldn't taste the lush green grass that was squished up through her spread toes.

Somewhere off to her left a couple of car doors slammed and a single pair of footsteps sounded towards her.

"So, who was that?" Sofia came up beside her and placed a hand on Amber's arm.

To shell shocked to do much she only whispered his name, and got a very surprised reaction from Sofia who knew almost the whole story.

"Logan!? You mean the Logan? As in the one you left in Brazil Logan?" Sofia had turned and now stood in front of her gripping Ambers arms with her small hands. Sofia's bright blue eyes showed her astonishment.

Finally Amber snapped out of her revere and she watched her friend push her blond hair out of her peach colored face. "Yes," she whispered.

"No way, really! How did it go?" Sofia's eyes were excited, she had never met the mystery man but there was also concern for how Amber felt.

Amber opened her mouth but nothing came out, and she closed her eyes as silent tears fell down her face.

"Oh." Sofia stated, "Lets' get you inside, shall we?"

The next thing she knew, Amber was sitting at her kitchen table with Sofia on her left, Cam on her right and Camelle in front of her, all with worried looks on their faces.

Sofia quickly showed Cam and Camelle away off to Cam's room so she could talk to Amber about Logan.

"You know… when you told me about Logan, you never told me that he's the X-Men's Wolverine." She got up and walked over to the sink with a kettle in hand and began running the water.

"Because he wasn't when I was with him, Sofia." She whispered, "I can't believe that I was so stupid, stupid enough to let Cam continue to get lessons from him without knowing who he really was..."

"What do mean by lessons?"

Amber looked up and watched Sofia as she said "He was teaching her how to defend herself, you know that"

"Oh!" exclaimed Sofia as she was surprised again "So he's the mysterious teacher, how did Cam say they met again?"

Amber sighed and lowered her gaze once more to the table as Sofia placed a steaming cup of Chamomile tea in front of her, "They met at Luis's school."

"The one that's mutant friendly?"

"Yes."

"Why there?"

"I have Cam go there so incase her magic becomes present. It will get passed off as a mutant power, and so she doesn't get thrown out for the empathy or telepathy although I'm most worried about the magic."

"Were all worried that her power will manifest at a bad time, but what does this have to do with Logan?"

"Well, when they met she was fighting a boy at school…"

"Can't believe you never told me this before."

"Look, Sofia, if you want to hear the story can you please, shut up."

"Sorry, go on."

"You know I'm surprised you don't already know…"

"Go on Amber!"

"Okay, Okay, sorry, anyway Cam told me that she was fighting with Josh again and this time Logan was there, she said that she never heard him come up. When Josh knocked her down Logan had commented on her about her fighting on her ass or some other Logan style comment.

"Course, she's a lot like that herself so she had to comment back, then Luis came out. By what Cam heard it sounded like Logan and Luis knew each other, and I think mentioned Charles Xavier… Anyway that's when Logan actually offer to teach herself defense. Now that I think about it I'm not sure if it was a good thing."

Sofia looked a little astonished at the last comment. "Why would it be bad, at least if Cam got in another fight you know she'll be able to handle herself, Wolverine is a total bad ass when it comes to a fight."

"I know but…" that's when the crying started, even with the tea in her hands, "I just miss him so much, Sofia…" she crocked out.

"Common, lets watch a movie and I'll make lunch, hum? How does that sound?" Amber nodded and they both left the kitchen and crossed the hall into the living room where Sofia left Amber at the couch and went over to the TV and turned it and the Blue Ray player on.

Sofia tucked Amber under a blanket and went back into the kitchen to make lunch just as she promised her.

Amber looker over at the TV to see what Sofia had put on. Avatar was playing a few minutes through the opening credits. _Go figure, too lazy to put in a different movie than the one that was already in the player._ Amber shook her head in disbelief and then in reverence as she started to smell grilled cheese sandwiches coming from the kitchen, reminding her of her first lunch with Logan.

Suddenly she felt cold and she vividly remembered the night she left the camp.

_**1990**_

She was packing as fast as possible, Mark had told her Logan was due back at the camp in a few hours and she had to get out.

But she stopped short when she got to the guitar. She looked at its lavish case and stroked its sides. When Logan first showed it to her he had seemed a bit hesitant, but had showed a small smile when he saw her reaction.

Amber lover music, when she was a baby she made a drum set out of the pots and pans in her mom's kitchen.

She opened the case and picked up the glossy instrument and plucked a tune on the strings. She could remember the time Logan had some free time; he had pulled out the guitar and played a song on it. It had sounded like heaven on earth; he kept it tuned so well nothing could match the way it sounded. And when he taught her how to play it, the moments were so special, and when she never wanted to put the instrument down and when she started to paint pictures of it, in her spare time, he had given it to her…

He had mentioned to her that he had had it for a very long time so she was extremely surprised when he gave it to her for her for her birthday that year.

She cherished his gift and she always took care of it. Putting the guitar back in its sleek velvet case and closing the lid was a hard thing for Amber as was taking it to the jeep that Mark managed to sneak for her, of which she was grateful. But he couldn't have picked a vehicle that stood out more, especially because it was the one Logan himself almost trashed once.

It was fixed except for the hood which still held claw marks from on time when he lost his temper…

She closed the back door to the jeep, having moved the last of the packed items into it, and she turned back around to go in for the very last of her possessions. The ring that Logan gave to her just before he left to help a double agent soldier was waiting for her on a small table beside her bed. Logan had said that it was a gift from his mother a very long time ago. It was a silver dragon that looked like it was sleeping, it had two long horns on the side of its head and its face looked fierce but peaceful. The tail acted like the band of the ring.

The detail on it was incredible each scale looked individually carved, each horn was a little bumpy and the spikes along the back were as smooth as glass. In the sun the whole thing glittered with a brilliant jade green as if the color was there all along.

Suddenly there were steps behind her causing her to whip around and hide the ring behind her.

"Hey Amber, I know you may not want to tell anyone why your leaving, but you and Logan are pretty much my only friends here and I have a feeling this isn't going to make Logan very happy. I need to know that I'm not ruining everything here for nothing." Mark was standing in the entrance to the tent she shared with Logan; he had a worried look on his face.

Amber sighed in relief and slipped the ring into her back pocket. She could trust Mark and she knew that, but she wasn't sure in this case. She wasn't sure she wanted to tell him.

No she couldn't do that, Logan couldn't be the last to know.

"I can't tell you…" she whispered

Mark frowned but didn't push it, "Fine I can accept that, but can I ask you something?"

"Shoot." She nodded

"Is it worth it? Do you have a good reason for leaving him?"

She sighed and looked down at her feet. "It's better than most."

"Hmm… well just, you know." He turned around and walked a few feet and turned back. "I'll miss you, you know, and I have a feeling Logan's not going to get over this." Then he left and Amber was alone once again.

She walked over to the Jeeps driver door and pulled the little dragon out of her back pocket, and studied its glinting surface. It will be one of her only reminders of Logan and his love for her.

When she reached the north gate, Amber was stopped by the guards. They approached her hesitantly. One stayed closer to his gate house and the other came up to her window, cautious but confidant.

"What can I do for you Madame?" asked the guard through her open window.

Amber looked straight into the guard's generic brown eyes as she spoke, "The general asked me to take on a special mission and I've been given access through this gate."

The guard frowned and looked back at his buddy "But… The general has never given access to this gate, without giving us such knowledge."

"Well that's fine, if you don't believe me," she flicked her crimson hair away from the guard over her shoulder, "Why don't you just call him up and ask him yourself. I'm sure he'll love to be interrupted, with something he's already allowed." She gave the guard a sly glance daring him to make a move.

He looked baffled as he glanced over his shoulder to his buddy at the gate, back to Amber then down at his radio and back over to the gate. Then he looked back to Amber with a nervice but determined look, "Alright miss, I'll let you through but if I find out you lied to me… there's going to be trouble." And with that he turned back towards the gate and gestured to the other guard to open it.

Amber waited patiently as the gate clicked open and she drove forward quickly the second she got the chance. After a couple hundred yards and a bend in the tree lined road, she pulled over.

On the side of the road Amber leaned over to the passenger side where one of her smaller luggage pieces was sitting. As she reached into one of the side pockets, the dragon ring sparkled green, on her finger in the patch of sunlight coming through the window till she pulled her hand away with a map.

Amber had only been looking at the map for about five minutes, when she looked out her window and screamed. It didn't take long for her to realize that it was Mark on the other side but he had still startled her.

Throwing the map back onto the seat she shoved the door open and jumped out. "What are you doing here!?" Amber stood right in front of him and put her face in his emphasizing her displeasure.

"You need to see this," and without any farther explanation he transported them to a forest where the smell of blood and the sound of screams hung on the air. She gasped. "Just thought I would mention that you caused this," Mark continued, and then with that he was gone and she was alone in the forest.

She stepped forward just a little and peaked around the walnut tree in front of her and saw Logan standing in a small clearing by a fire. His stance was stiff with his hands in fists and his eyes closed. She had only been watching for a moment when his eyes snapped open. Then all at the same time Marcus showed up next to Logan, as Logan's hand move forward with his claws coming out to straddle Mark's neck with the middle claw held back rather than piercing skin.

It was just seconds before Logan pushed forward and Mark was gone. Amber heard the inhuman howl of anger tear up Logan's throat, and then a quiet evil laugh before he disappeared in to the trees.

Shocked, Amber stood silent in the trees before she came out from behind the walnut. When she was out and by the fire she looked up through the trees to see that the compound wasn't far away. She was just about to head towards the base to go back to her jeep when her eyes widened in fear and a chill ran up her spine, as she listened to a faraway laugh that was filled with bone chilling sadism that came from the compound.

Even with the inlayed sadistic noise Amber knew that low deep throated sound anywhere, it was Logan. She stared into the distance of the compound and whispered to herself, "What have I done!?"

_**Present Day**_

Amber woke with a start in the darkness of her room having Logan's sadistic laugh play over and over again in her mind. She had a cold sweat and tears in her eyes.

After a while she sat up straight and glanced around her room. To the left of her bed were her desk and book shelves, past those were her thick heavy velvety curtains that blocked out all but a few rays of sunlight that came through the sliding doors that lead onto a small balcony. When Amber looked back over to the right she noticed the silver dragon ring sitting on her bedside table next to her alarm clock which told her that it was 9:30 the next morning. This simple fact of time surprised her, she didn't even remember eating lunch yesterday.

Ever so slowly she climbed out of bed and made her way to her master bathroom, and when she got there she went to brush her teeth, but changed her mind and had a steaming hot shower. As she washed her hair she could smell the luscious smell of waffles and bacon wafting into her room from the kitchen.

When she was done in the bathroom and had finished getting dressed in a burgundy tank top and jeans, she went over to the side of her bed and sat down facing the door to the hall. It was still dark in the room with only the few slivers of light shining through the curtains and the green sparkle of the sleeping dragon in her hands.

As Amber examined its surface the only thing she could think of was Logan and what he had meant to her, what he _still_ meant to her. That's when she made her decision. She got up and jumped across her bed to get to her office computer. She booted it up quickly, opened the internet and clicked on the Google search bar. It took her only a moment before she typed in _The Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters_. The search quickly found hundreds of pages on the school and the x-men, but right at the top of the first page was what she was looking for, and she clicked on the link.

The home page had a beautiful design that seemed centered on the stunning gardens that showed in the picture of the mansion. On the contact page there was a picture of the x-men team standing in the driveway with the mansion in the background.

It took Amber a very long time to stop staring at the Logan in the photo to notice the rest of it. The team wasn't in their uniforms, but in regular everyday clothes. Logan was standing on the right side of the picture along with two young girls and a furry blue kid who looked like he was having a really good time.

She stared at the picture for what seemed like forever to her before she finally grabbed a pen and jotted down the address and the state down. She took her time walking out of her bedroom after that.

Amber stepped into the hall and slowly moved towards the kitchen, in almost a trance like state. When she got to the kitchen she sat down and stared at the small piece of paper in her hands, oblivious to the stares pointed in her direction.

She was positive that by the time she showed up at the institute that Logan will be there too. She wasn't going to wait anymore. She knew now what she needed to know and she was going to fallow Logan until he stops to listen.

Sofia had just put a hand on Amber's shoulder when she shot up out of the chair, grabbed Sofia's wrists and pulled her out of the room.

"What are you doing!?" Sofia scowled and yanked her hands back when Amber stopped just outside the kitchen.

"Shhh! No, no, I need to tell you something." Amber whispered back when there was a quiet, almost inaudible scuttle of feet and the shift of a chair against the ground. She sighed and held up her right hand and she pulled energy from her core. The energy warmed her and heated her arm as it was put into the spell, and the air rippled across the doorway like small waves on water until it became smooth once more.

"No fair!" came a call from the kitchen, the one way sound barrier worked like a charm.

Sofia giggled and smiled broadly, exposing all her perfect teeth, "Magic is so convinent. So, what were you saying?"

Amber held out her hand that held the piece of paper with the info on it and passed it to Sofia. "I'm going to go there with Cam, I think that it's about time that both she and Logan hear the truth."

For a while Sofia was quiet and contemplating then she handed the paper back and spoke solemnly, "Do what you need to do Amber…"

"Thank you so much for underst…"

"Just know that I'll always be here for you and that we'll come as soon as you call us, I'm sure that Jace would love any excuse to play with his magic."

"What?" Amber was stunned by her best friend's loyalty.

"Jason, Camelle and I will be with you at any moment's notice."

Amber had started tearing up at Sofia's declaration, gave her a hug and without using anymore words they came to and understanding. After just a moment she pulled back and half sighed and half giggled, she wiped her eyes and said, "Look at me, I haven't cried over him in years."

Sofia stepped forward and brushed Amber's fiery hair out of her face. "Crying is all a part of getting over the pain, Amber. Besides that was what, the first time you've seen him in 15 years."

"20, actually."

"Well there you go." Sofia held up her hand but before she could speak the spell that would take down the wall, Amber's soft voice interrupted her.

"You should have seen his face Sophie; he looked like he was going to kill anyone if they so much as glanced at him…" Amber shivered, and whispered in an even quieter voice, "he has before…"

Sofia turned back to the taller woman and grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look in her eyes, as Amber did so Sofia loosened her grip a little and said, "That was not your fault, Amber so stop blaming yourself for what you had no control over. You have to let this go." And before she could comment back Sofia raised her hand and finished the spell she started.

Cam and Camelle had finished their breakfast and were now waiting impatiently to see if they could make something of their mom's silent conversation, but were disappointed as Amber just sat down at the table in front of a plate of food that was obviously for her and took a bite of the crispy waffle doused in butter and syrup.

The girls watched Amber as she ate with worried expressions on their faces that she couldn't escape. However it didn't take long for her to finish and as she did she looked up at Cam just as Cam's drakan jumped on her lap. Amber started a little but settled and patted Shona before handing her over to Cam.

Cam jumped up and reached for the drakan exclaiming, "Where have you been Shona!" She placed the tabby looking cat on her lap and stroked her back.

"Looks like Shona went hunting with Luna this morning," Amber mentioned as Shona burped and a falcon landed on her shoulder cleaning its claws.

"_We found some nice mice!" _came the echo of Shona's thoughts into her head and the laughs of everyone in the kitchen let her know that the drakan was talking to everyone.

Amber quickly stopped laughing and her brow furrowed as she glanced at Camelle then looked at Sofia "Where are your drakan? I never noticed that they weren't with you."

Camelle started to answer but was cut off by Sofia, "We left them at home with Jace… he got attacked by a Shadren last night and is still healing." Sofia looked grave.

"A Shadren!?" Amber spoke in a harsh whisper. "But I thought the barrier that we put up for you was still sound." Her face showed her horror at the situation.

"Guess it wasn't strong enough, the Shadren was huge, it must have managed to kill a lot of Guardians…"

Cam piped up then her horror matching her mothers, "What was he doing?"

"Just washing the car in the driveway." Said Camelle to Cam, "Having fun with the water of course…"

A quiet but strong voice interrupted Amber's thoughts as she wondered how the Shadren had destroyed her force field, "_You must tell them now Amber, it's time to go." _Luna had clearly only spoken to her and she was glad for the reminder from her beloved drakan.

Amber shoved down her anxiety as it resurfaced and spoke. "Enough about Jace for now, I have something to tell you girls."

"Is it about the thing you were hiding from us mum?" Cam asked.

"Yes, Cam, when your done here I want you to go to your room and pack up all your things."

"What! Why! Are we leaving?" Cam exclaimed with a shocked expression which quickly turned to hurt.

Amber sighed then nodded causing Luna to ruffle her feathers and then looked at Cam's eyes, complete replicas of Logan's that were the only thing that's kept her going all these years. She said the one thing that she knew Cam would be happy with and also the only truth. "I believe that it's about time you meet your father."

Luna squealed in her ear and added to Amber's statement though only just to her, _"And about time that he finds out that he has a daughter."_

***Again Reviews are helpful and I love to here what you think :) Don't forget that it keeps me writing too so please Review!***


	4. Chapter 4 : A Unique Individual

***Disclaimer: If you recognize it it's not mine (most likely) and even so, this isn't making me any money...***

Chapter 4

A Unique Individual

Logan was weaving down the highway near Kamloops BC in the black of night on his Harley Davidson motorcycle, an upgrade from the 1987 Pan Head sitting in the cabins garage that he just left earlier that day. He has had both cycles for a while; the Pan Head since it was first released off the line and the Harley only recently. He was now appreciating the new bike and its speed, as he, once again, ran from his past.

As the darkness slipped below the headlight that bathed the road in a harsh light, and passed out behind him, Logan slowed down for the first time after an entire day of blinding speed and swerving roads. It was taking its toll on him and he was stopping for the night.

He pulled off at a curve in the road so he could get a good view of both directions. He leaned the Harley against a tree so he could get some wood from the forest around him to get a small fire going. The nights had been getting increasingly longer and colder, even though his mutation made sure that he adapted to the change he still wanted the comfort and distraction of a fire to save him from his thoughts.

After gathering the wood and pilling it up in a ring of stones, Logan paused as he quickly decided about lighting the wood. He felt for the muscles that controlled the movements of his claws and extended the ones between his index and middle fingers on each hand. The claws came out slowly, just the way he wanted, and he savored the momentary silence of his thoughts they caused as they cut through muscle, and skin. As soon as they stopped moving the pain ceased instantly. He kneeled down beside the pile and brought the blades together quickly making sparks rain down, catching the kindling and burning the wood.

Logan added a little more wood to the fire and pushed Ornthrond away towards his bike so he could lean back against a pine tree that was behind him. The smells around him sharply reminded him of his recently recovered memory. For hours Logan sat there starring into the fire before he shut the world out and fell asleep against the tree as mental exhaustion took over

When he woke up the sky was still dark but instead of a sinister black it was a deep dark blue. He figured it was about four in the morning. Looking into the ashes of the fire he thought about relighting it only to decide against it, he had no idea where Ornthrond was leading him. It could be leading to a different continent for all he knew.

There was a soft grinding noise off to his right and he would have ignored it but he could tell that it was close, like a quiet whisper in your ear; you know its right there even though you can barely hear it. He got up slowly to go check out the cause; he wasn't too worried considering a normal person wouldn't have heard the sound at all. He took a quick look around his make shift camp but came to no conclusions so he went to look where he left his bike, sniffing on the way. There were no smells that were off on the way to his bike, but when he got there it didn't even matter. The first thing he noticed were the handle bars. They weren't how he had left them; they were tilted toward the tree now, rather than away. The next thing was even stranger, he was looking at the side of the bike and part of it seemed almost disassembled, the exhaust pipe for example, was there but it was twisted and bent at odd angles, and the motor was the worst. It looked completely out of whack it seemed half destroyed but not in the usual banged up way but in an, it-got-larger kind a way, like it managed to expand its self. It was stretched and it didn't even look that recognizable.

All of this was so unexpected that it left Logan flabbergasted, and trying to figure out what happened. He rotated his body so he could look at the road but still keep the bike in his peripheral vision. He began to circle the bike but there was no signs of disturbance save his own. When he paused behind the tree in which the bike rested against he heard the almost soundless rasp again. He didn't waste any time jumping around the tree to see what made the sound but nothing was amiss. Not even the "broken motor" was broken anymore and it looked exactly the way it did last night, but the one thing that he caught was that final shift in where the motor was placed.

_What!?_ He thought, the bike had changed its own body. He stepped up to the bike and scrutinized it closely, and sniffed. It smelt normal with the metallic tang of the parts and paint, and the smell of fuel, but it was off somehow, but not because it was mixed with his own scent, but it was a sharp smell. It was the smell of electricity and power. How it would come from a bike though he didn't know. His frustration was rising and with it his anger and he didn't like it. His claws extended on his right hand, he was at his limit of control, too much had happened to him recently he just couldn't keep the beast caged anymore, it wanted out, badly.

He positioned himself in front of the bike, claws aimed at the headlight. "Show yourself." His words came out in an almost inaudible animalistic growl that was low and menacing, but the bike remained unchanged.

On the verge of losing himself to his rage and feeling close to insanity, Logan promptly ignored the bike and stalked into the woods chopping off tree branches as he went. This activity took him to around five at which time he was ready to leave.

He had just finished scattering the remains of the fire while puffing on a cigar when the clanking of metal filled his ears. He whisked toward his bike, thinking back to the last time he came over and hoping that he had imagined the whole thing. He started off towards the bike and put out his cigar on his palm and stored its remains in his jacket.

When he got to the bike, it was gone, but what were left in its place were huge foot prints. They were vaguely shaped like a human's foot but it was definitely anything but.

Logan followed the gigantic prints a little ways into the forest until they stopped. He glanced around but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, that is, except the prints, but his senses told him differently. The strange electromagnetic smell of power was heavy here. Suddenly something moved overhead, he looked up and couldn't believe what he saw. A massive humanoid robot looking thing stood over him. Its legs alone were as tall as the trees; its full height was about ten stories tall.

It leaned over and looked down at him, and then it reached out with a hand to grab him but when Logan extended his claws the robot thought better about grabbing him. It straightened up and after a moment it started to fold in on its self the grinding and scraping metal on metal sound was loud in Logan's ears, nearly getting him to hold his hands to his ears.

Finally it stood in front of him a few feet away, it looked identical to the ten stories one only now it was just ten feet. Logan slipped forward into a crouch holding his claws at the ready. "What are you?" he called. What came next was almost as unexpected as the robot it's self.

"My name is Crusher," the voice was deep, rumbling, and grating like two stones rubbing together. Logan jumped back in surprise, his eyes wide and the shock caused his claws to slip back into their housing. The robot came forward a couple of steps and leaned forward looking Logan in the eye. For Logan, surprise was fading fast giving way to frustration. He too took a step forward.

"What the hell are you?" Logan spit out between his teeth.

"All I wanted was a stretch; I thought you were still asleep." It leaned away from him and stood there looking like a mix of scrap parts brought together to make a statue, it was just that still. However you could tell it was alive from the glowing blue orbs of energy set in the metal like eyes, and the faint creeks that were clues to its movement.

"A stretch?" He snarled

The robot named Crusher sighed and looked at the sunrise between the trees. After what seemed like forever, it looked back at Logan and nodded, "I am an autonomous robotic organism. My race came from the planet Cybertron."

Logan remained silent.

"We had been here for a long time; I was one of the first to come. A while back our planet fell to ruin, sides were chosen and a war broke out. The All Spark, the source of our creation was lost, and then found here on earth. That was why we had come. But now I am the only one left."

Logan stared at the robot for a long time and the robot stared back, till he broke the silence with a question. "You were here first?"

Crusher stepped back and answered, "Yes, I was sent here long ago by my people to see if I could locate the All Spark, and I failed. It was already discovered and hidden by yours."

"So why are you still here, and not the others?"

"Because I had a reason to stay," said Crusher.

Logan continued to stare him down and replied, "A reason? What reason?"

Crusher explained. "I originally chose to hang around you because you went to so many different places, many of them I could get up to move around. Not to mention that out of all the others in the military you were the only one who had a tendency not to die. It was interesting when I found out why that was." He sighed knowing he hadn't answered the question. "I stay because this planet hasn't crumbled."

Logan was quiet for a moment taking in what Crusher had told him. "So when did you first show up?"

"Oh. It was around 1911 when you were still a teenager. I was that sad case radio you lugged around, so inefficient."

Logan was surprised and his face showed it, "You've been hiding around me for that long?"

"Yes."

"You have got to be shitting me." He ran a hand through his hair then spun around and slashed off another branch from a mutilated tree, behind him.

"No… I'm not." Another tree branch got lopped off and three deep scratches were placed in the bark.

"It's time to go." Logan had looked up at the sun which showed that they had been conversing for almost fifteen minutes, too long by his standards. When they reached the spot that Logan had left his stuff Crusher spoke.

"You know, ever since you got that sword I've wanted to congratulate you, it's really nice."

Logan turned to look back at him then went back to what he was doing, but he did acknowledge the congrats, "Uh, thanks, I guess."

"You're welcome, I just always kind of wanted to say that… but I have something else to say too."

Logan didn't answer.

"I know you might not want to, considering you're not exactly the flying kind of guy, but I could get us to where were going a lot faster than following the roads."

"What da ya mean?" Logan looked back again and noticed that the robot had stopped just short of the tree line to avoid detection, exactly what he was about to tell him to do. _Not as stupid as he looks after all,_ he thought.

"Well, I have the ability to transform into anything, unlike my brethren, whom can only be one thing at a time. I could hack a security system to if you wanted me to, that is if I can scan it. I have scanned everything electronic that the military have had throughout the years." Crusher smirked; if you could call it that.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Even an F16 Fighter?"

Crusher chuckled a deep laugh. "You name it and I can be it." And right there in front of him Crusher's hide started to move and shift, then set in a different configuration. Panels expanded, changed color and shape, till an F-16 fighter jet with camouflage paint rested just beyond the tree line. Logan was impressed that it fit between the trees.

"I might just have to admit that, that was quite impressive." Logan muttered.

A radio inside crackled and Crusher's voice came through and as the door to the cockpit opened he said, "Shall we?"

They took off using the long stretch of the highway as the runway. Logan had figured that their general direction of travel, according to Ornthrond's nagging should be in a westerly direction. When they got in the air Logan was immediately apprehensive, he wasn't made for flying. But eventually he settled down enough to make some small talk. "So, let me get this straight, you're from a planet called Cybertron, and you can 'transform' into any electronic technology. That it?"

"Yeah, that's pretty much it."

"If you're not from this planet then how can you speak English?" Logan's controlling movements of the jet weren't smooth, they were jerky and on occasion Crusher had to set them back on course. _This is why I never piloted the Blackbird when the X-Men went on missions,_ was one of the foremost thoughts.

"I have learned Earth's languages through the world wide web." By now they were flying over top of the forests of British Colombia, it had taken only half an hour to come this far.

"Never did like the internet." Logan mumbled and shook his head and changed his thoughts to go back on his training, he had been taught how to pilot an F-16 in the army but never had the chance to actually put his skills to use, until now. He hated flying. In a way he was lucky that he could recall the minuscule time he spent as a pilot.

"That's it I can't do this." Logan let go of the control stick and crossed his arms. The plane had taken a quick turn to the left, almost performing a barrel role before Crusher righted himself once more and returned to the direction that Logan had indicated. Logan held back a wave of nausea that came over him as Crusher came over the speakers,

"You're kidding me right? What's your problem, why did you just let go of the controls?"Logan just turned to the radio com and gave it his infamous stare. "Because, I felt like it." He spat between his teeth.

"Whoa, no need to get your panties in a bunch." A bark of a laugh came over the com.

Logan growled and grabbed the control stick once more and pushed Crusher into a sharp nose dive, "you might not survive a crash, but I will."

Crusher quickly took control of himself and rotated into a barrel roll, causing Logan to gag. "I might not, but you would be left without transportation and stuck in the middle of nowhere… Where are we going anyway?"

Logan looked down at Ornthrond where it was uncomfortably wedged between the center console and his right leg. He was going to have a bruise at the end of this 'flight' not that it would last very long but in the mean time it was quite painful. He shook his head and sighed, "I don't know."

"Well I think I might just have a solution."

Logan looked again at the radio and then concentrated on where he was steering the jet. "What da yah mean yah might have a solution?"

"Twist your sword so that its blade is flat against the panel above your leg."

"Why?" He looked suspiciously back at the radio.

"Just do it, Logan."

He scowled but grabbed Ornthrond and paused as Crusher kept talking.

"I'm going to see if I can pick up on the coordinates that the sword is giving you directions for. If we get the final location we can go faster to accommodate how far away it might be.

_Not a bad plan I suppose, but what I'm chasing after is my biggest question, not how long it will take to get there. _He grunted, "You could be on to something, Crusher, is it?"

"Yes."

Logan nodded and took Ornthrond's hilt and twisted it, scrapping it past his leg and set the blade sheathed in its scabbard up against the underside of the console.

Immediately the panels touching the blade folded and closed around it with the sounds of metal scraping metal. "How you planning on getting the info?" Logan inquired.

"I'm going to scan its energy waves, but I need you to hold the hilt, that seems to be the only time that it produces the waves." Logan grabbed the hilt.

"But I only get a directional feeling."

"That's because you don't know how to tune into the wave patterns."

"What wave patterns." Logan frowned, not catching on to all the "wave pattern" talk.

"The wave patterns are energy waves, and they seem to be some sort of language, I'm not sure what kind but it seems to almost have multiple layers to it and you only get the directional. I should be able to decipher it, since I can read the waves on all levels. I should be able to translate the inscriptions into latitude and longitude coordinates." Logan could feel the excitement of Crusher's realization rise though the cockpit.

"Could you dumb it down a bit, 'cause I ain't following your rant."

"I'm saying I should be able to tell you the exact location of which you seek."

***Again Reviews are helpful and I love to here what you think :) Don't forget that it keeps me writing too so please Review!***


	5. Chapter 5: The Dragon Heart

***Disclaimer: If you recognize it it's not mine (most likely) and even so, this isn't making me any money...***

Chapter 5

The Dragon Heart

Logan was thrown against his restraints as Crusher pulled out of supersonic mode. It would have taken 15 minutes to get to where they are now from where they were but instead it took only three seconds. He looked out through the window and knew what he was looking at it was the inner harbor of Victoria BC on Vancouver Island in Canada. It had been so long since he set his eyes on this place, it had changed so much since then, and he couldn't believe it. There were buildings everywhere now; a whole city had sprung up since he had last been here.

"Is it in the city?" He asked Crusher.

"Yes, why?"

Logan raised an eyebrow and answered, "Because I don't think a jet can land down there. We might have to go by foot… Can you be a float plane?"

"What's a float plane?"

"I guess that's a no then. What about a helicopter?"

"I can do a helicopter, where do you want me to land?"

"Somewhere unnoticeable, so we can go on foot, or perhaps by motorcycle."

Crusher took a sharp turn to the left and followed the coast till they found a large area of concrete, it looked like a dock yard for cruise ships and it was vacant.

When Crusher started to transform as he was flying, into a helicopter, it freaked out Logan and he tried to jump out of the seat as it moved underneath him.

"Stop moving!" Crusher called through the cockpit as he paused mid transformation causing them to start plummeting toward the ocean.

"Are you fucking kidding me!?" Logan cursed, but by then they had slammed into the water and Crusher's frame had started to fill with the salty liquid.

Crusher said nothing; he just opened a space in front of Logan and moved the seat towards him urging him to get into the water.

Logan grabbed Ornthrond and slung it on his back before he dove through the opening. When he was in the water he immediately started to sink because of the adamantium on his skeleton. But even with that set back he was a really good swimmer when he had to be and he got quickly to the surface. When his head broke the water he was near a ladder that headed to the top of the pier.

The lower rungs on the ladder were covered in barnacles and rust; when he placed a hand on top to climb up they sliced his palms. He ignored that and climbed the ladder quickly and pulled himself over the side and stood soaking wet and dripping on the edge of the concrete waiting for Crusher to come out so he could give the robot a piece of his mind.

He watched as the water got bubbly and pushed wavers away from where he had seen Hide in the center. When the commotion stopped it was only a moment or two before a metallic head immerged and started spilling water out of all the nocks and crannies. Then his chest and shoulders came out also leaking plenty of salty ocean water. If he was standing on the ocean floor the water must be really deep because it came up to the lower waist on Crusher. But then again it didn't look like the robot was full height. Logan looked back up at Crusher's face and could easily tell that the robot was none too pleased about the predicament either.

Only a few minutes went by before they heard emergency sirens alerting them that someone or more than someone had seen their 'crash'. Their eyes flicked towards the noise but Logan quickly threw his gaze back at Crusher's and when his gaze was returned a silent understanding passed between them.

Crusher quickly transformed into a tiny silver cell phone that sparkled in the water; Logan jumped in after it when the noise that Hides transformation made came to an end. He landed on the device and grabbed it before he dove under the water and swam to the other side of the dock where the 'rescue crew' couldn't see.

Logan stuck Crusher in his back pocket and looked for a ladder to find that the only one around was the one he had already used, so he had to follow the edge of the pier to a shallow beach. He walked out of the water and sat down on the concrete edge that prevents the roads from flooding. He attempted to wring salt water out of his clothes, to no avail. He gave up and pulled the silver cell phone out of his pocket and tried to dry it with his now damp muscle shirt. When he figured it wouldn't get any better he placed the phone beside his leather jacket and sword so he could pull the shirt back over his head. He tugged on his jacket over top and the cold wetness of his clothes seemed to leach all the heat out of his body; he was thankful for the sun overhead.

When he went to pick up Crusher Logan noticed that it wasn't just a phone anymore, it was a wireless headset and the phone. He put the headset on and the phone back in his pocket.

"I hope they didn't notice all that." It was no surprise when Crusher's voice came through the ear bud, but now all it did was irritate him.

"Oh, they noticed." He said sourly and he replaced Ornthrond on his back before he crossed the empty street to hide in the trees as even more rescue sirens sounded. "Were to now?" He asked Crusher, as he stared at the rescue crews calling for divers to get to the "wreck".

"It's off somewhere to your left if you're looking towards the water." Logan looked off to his left and down the sidewalk that followed the road he was on.

"Are you suggesting that I just walk down that sidewalk like I didn't just go for dip in the fucking ocean?!" He asked incredulously.

"That's right. It would probably look even weirder if you were wet on a motorcycle, especially since it isn't raining."

"Oh you just think you so funny, don't you?" Logan growled but started to walk down the sidewalk shaking his head in an attempt to extinguish his anger and annoyance. "Let me know when I'm close." He muttered.

The walk down the road was awful, he was plagued with weird stares from people across the street on the boardwalk, and the people walking towards him on the same side either stared at him as well, completely ignored him (which he preferred), or the worst of all were the people who attempted to help him. Those were the people that made it hard not to go on a rampage.

Logan had been walking for ten minutes down the same road without any comment from Crusher so he was slightly jarred when the robot told him to stop. They were by a small grassy area that looked like it was the entrance to a park. It wasn't any more special than the rest, except for the unbearable smell coming from the public facilities building a few feet in.

Logan stood there for a little while before he lifted his left hand behind his back and grasped the end of Ornthrond's scabbard to feel where he needed to go next. Only then did it occur to him that no one had commented on the sword that rested on his back, nor had anyone called the cops on him. Either carrying swords around here was normal, or something else strange was going on.

He put that aside and concentrated on the directions from Ornthrond. Of course it had to be past those stupid restrooms. He scowled but continued forward with his hand still on the scabbard. He wandered into the park a ways and ended up crossing a bridge which was near a giant man made pond. He instinctively knew that he had found what he was looking as he set his gaze on the place.

A five foot tall stone globe within a metal holder stood in front of him. The holder was made with large black spikes; four of them surrounded the globe and they were all connected with a single band around the gut of the globe. The spikes were longer than the globe and were curved and pointed like a double hooked claw; they wrapped in closely to the top and stayed wide near the bottom for support. There was a map on the globes surface as well, etched permanently into the stone.

Logan slowly approached, and the stone of the globe began to gain a faint yellow glow. It had started as a cool light grey rock when its center grew brighter till the color was a halo around the stone and it was flashing through every color you could possibly imagine, in every hue. The map on the stone had begun to change as well, he had been looking at the area of North America and a bright light lit up out of nowhere. He came closer and observed that the point of light had illuminated the lower tip of Vancouver Island. This new adaption intrigued him and he lifted his hand towards to globe causing a chaotic flashing from light that was surrounding and building with in the stone, slowly drowning out the map entirely.

A loud hum vibrated through his mind as he brought his hand closer to the globe and when he let go of the scabbard of his sword the hum quieted but didn't quit. Slowly he lowered his hand towards the surface of the globe and as he did so the flashing increased even more. When his skin connected with the bright stone the color changed to a solid gold as if an internal light had come on inside it. Logan marveled at the sight before him and the warmth under his hands.

He was still trying to process what had been going on when a huge shudder went through the earth accompanied by an audible rumble. He jumped away from the rock and with his lack of touch its glow dimmed, though the difference was only just noticeable to him.

When he jumped away Logan had noticed something about the globe he had missed before. Its cradle, the globe wasn't attached to its cradle. The globe had been, and still is, literally hovering in the center of the band.

His attention was diverted again, this time slightly skyward. The globe and its stand had begun to lift off the ground and another shudder rolled along the ground sending Logan onto his back. When he sat up he became so transfixed on the globe that he started when his back pocket vibrated. It took a moment to remember that Crusher was in his pocket.

His eyes never leaving the levitating globe, he drew out the phone from his pocket and unhooked the wireless headset out of his ear. He heard Crusher reform but Logan couldn't hear his voice as he addressed him. The only thing that he could hear was the persistent humming that came from his sword and the globe as it continued to rise.

After another moment Logan stood up and went back up to the globe, ignoring Crusher's frantic body language. The belly band of the stand was now eye level to Logan. The globe hovered at that height for while as if it was watching him. Then it began to shrink. It progressively got smaller until it was about half the size of a golf ball. Its stand had changed with it as well and the globe was an exact replica of what it had just been. Logan stepped forward and reached out with his right hand as the globe, now orb, continued to float in front of him.

He took another transfixed step forward and plucked the orb out of the air. Instantaneously the bright golden light shinning out from the orb blinked down in intensity. Other then the faint glow the orb was merely just a golden colored ball. At the same time the light dimmed the humming had also quieted, like someone muting the TV, It was a second or two afterwards that he realized it was actually a background noise, it wasn't gone.

Logan held the orb with both hands and examined it. He found he could rotate the orb in its stand where it remained hovering. He also couldn't see any trace of the map that he had originally seen on the orb.

He lowered his hands as he heard Crusher's approach. "What is that?" Crusher asked him as he came up beside Logan.

Logan continued to stare at the orb but managed to get out a reply, "I don't know."

Crusher listened to the strange hum coming in from his speaker, it seemed to be coming from in front of Logan but he still couldn't place it. What worried him were the deep vibrations he felt coming from the earth.

It was barely a surprise when he felt the shudder go up Logan's leg, and then crushing weight of his adamantium skeleton as another shake knocked Logon off his feet. That was when he decided to remained Logan of his presence, he vibrated his body. Another wave of worry spiked in Crusher when he felt Logan's muscles tighten, but he relaxed the second Logan placed him on the ground beside his right leg.

Crusher quickly reverted back into his humanoid shape, but kept his size limited to Logan's height. He stood beside Logan as he continued to sit on the ground, but what captured his attention, was what Logan refused to look away from. A bright golden glow pulsated from a strange orb that hovered about a foot off the ground. It was in a stand made up of spikes and a single band of black metal, and it had the girth of a century old tree. It continued to go higher till it was at eye level. That's when Logan got up and began to step towards it.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Crusher called to Logan and reached towards him in a gesture asking him to stop. Logan however ignored him completely and walked straight up to the thing. A few seconds after he got there the orb and its stand shrunk till it looked slightly smaller than a golf ball. But the most surprising thing was when Logan blatantly grabbed it out of the air, and started to look at it. The moment he touched the orb its light seemed to dissipate and the strange heaviness in the air that had been around since it started to rise was also gone.

Out of concern he went up to Logan. When he reached his side Crusher could clearly see that the orb was a miniature version of its self. "What is that?" He asked the fixated Logan.

"I don't know." He replied though he never even gave Crusher a look, he just kept focusing on the object in his hands.

When loud sirens rang at the edge of the trees Hide looked back and saw the police officers running at them with weapons drawn. He looked back at Logan and was glad to see the sharp noise had startled him out of his revere. Crusher saw Logan stuff the orb into the right front pocket of his jeans and then turn to him.

"We have to get out of here." He glanced around quite likely only taking in his surroundings for the first time. Then he spotted a parking lot on the opposite side of the pond, not far, but not close either. A quick glance at one another and they both took off running anyway. It was their only out.

They could both hear the shouts of the police as they ran after them. Both Crusher and Logan were relieved to hear the cops slowly fall behind but for good measure Logan threw in an extra burst of speed that Crusher had to keep up with. When they reached the lot no police were in sight and Crusher didn't take any cues from Logan, he immediately transformed into the replica of Logan's Harley.

It was a shock when he heard the police sirens; it cleared a silent cloud of peace that had enveloped his mind since he first saw the globe. He had no idea what was going on but he shoved the orb in his pocket and looked around. He saw the cops rushing towards them with their weapons drawn; he tried to find an out. He spotted a parking lot on the other side of the pond that had been effectively hidden by a hedge and a few deciduous trees. Through unspoken consent they ran to the parking lot; Logan picked up his speed to gain ground and when they got to the lot it seemed to pay off. Crusher transformed into the copy of his Harley and Logan occupied himself with finding a way out of the park; all he saw were local faces masked with shock after seeing Crusher shift.

He frowned, this wasn't going the way it should have. He jumped on the bike; Crusher had already started the engine so they were flying around the curved road ways on the way out of the park in no time. When they came ripping towards the entrance the sirens got louder and they spotted police vehicles blocking the way. A small grassy hill with the park sign was on the right side; no vehicles were parked there and it seemed to be the only way around the blockade. Logan sped Crusher over the hill and brushed around the cars turning left down the road, back towards the vacant ship docks.

There had been a few police vehicles waiting for a possible chase however and they followed in pursuit. Logan navigated down the main road going more than 80k; the traffic was light and the police were gaining ground.

Logan didn't know what going to happen once they got there but as they arrived he knew that Crusher was working on something; Logan lost the ability to control Crusher's speed and steering. He was jarred when Crusher sped up and when a shudder went through the bike beneath him, just as it had in the jet moments before Crusher had shifted on the flight in.

"No!" Logan called but Crusher had ignored him and started shifting back into the F-16. He knew that this was going to happen one way or another but Logan still wished that it was something that could have been avoided.

He glanced over his shoulder before the panels completely covered his view. All the cop cars had stopped and their inhabitants had all gotten out, watching the spectacle. Their stares were all blank faced.

The second that Crusher was fully plane, which was about five or ten seconds after he started shifting they were in the air and it was only a short moment after that that they were in supersonic mode, and out of sight.

A little while after that Crusher reverted back into normal speed. Logan attempted to pry his plastered back off the seat so he could then pull off Ornthrond which seemed fussed in place.

"Any reason why they were after us?" Logan asked Crusher after he removed the sword from his back and placed it back between his right leg and the center consoled.

Crusher sounded flustered when he replied, "I don't know maybe it had something to do with the sword on your back."

Logan frowned, _I guess they really did notice_. "Well, let's get back to the mansion, I want to get out of here." Crusher complied by going back into supersonic mode, hurtling them down towards the east coast.

***Again Reviews are helpful and I love to here what you think :) Don't forget that it keeps me writing too so please Review!***


	6. Chapter 6: A Warm Welcome

***Disclaimer: If you recognize it it's not mine (most likely) and even so, this isn't making me any money...***

Chapter 6

A Warm Welcome

Crusher had pulled out of supersonic just moments before, and Logan still felt nauseated from the G-Force. They had been supersonic for just over five minutes and even that short a time was too long. They were only a short way from the mansion now and neither of them could wait to get back.

He could see most of the team outside. Summers was on the roof of the mansion installing a satellite dish, Red was working on putting the fountain back together with Ro, Kitty and the Elf were planting trees, while bobby was fixing a lamp post with Hank. Logan wondered what the destruction had been that caused the clean up.

He quickened Crushers descent as he approached, and wasn't surprised when everyone looked up to the noise of the jet. What did surprise him though was how everyone reacted, Summers has stood up and everyone on the ground stopped what they were doing. He was even more shocked when Jean stepped forward and raised one of her hands out in front of her. Her face scrunched up and then Crusher shuddered and his engine stopped, shortly after they were slammed into the ground. The belly of the plane created a long scar of ripped up grass and dirt as they were propelled along the ground.

When they came to a full stop Logan opened the cockpit and saw a flash of red out of the corner of his eye and reacted accordingly. The claws on his right hand came out with a rasp and absorbed the beam from Cyclops's eyes. This action caused the others to pause.

"Logan?" Jean came forward but she didn't look too certain.

He scowled and grumbled, "Who did ya think it was!?" He jumped out onto the left wing of the plane and snatched Ornthrond out of the cockpit. He slung it across his back with his left hand as he couldn't slide the claws on his right away till they cooled from the super heated red that they were now. Logan closed the cockpit, jumped off the wing and went towards the back of Crusher to a compartment that opened up. He removed a black backpack and as he did so the font pocket of his jeans grew warm, the pocket that held the orb.

Everything became eerily silent when he pinched the orb out of his pocket with his nearly immobile right hand. The humming returned as he grasped its warm surface. He drew it out and it pulsed as if in tenderness. His lips twitched in an upwards direction seemingly of their own accord but he put it back into the pocket in an attempt to not attract attention.

When he put the backpack over his left shoulder he looked down and noticed his claws were cool though his hand was still warm. _What the…?_ He thought. His claws shouldn't be cool; they usually need at least fifteen minutes to be cool enough to slide away. He frowned but pulled them in.

The team waited as he came back around to the front of the plane but Logan momentarily ignored them. He paused in front of the left wing and gazed at Crusher's belly. The paneling was intact and everything else looked to be alright, the landing gear hadn't been down and so wasn't damaged. However the thought of how he would explain Crusher drifted through his mind.

When he finally turned to the team everyone had abandoned their tasks and had gathered loosely in a half circle near where he stood, though Cyke remained on the roof. It was Ororo who cut the tension by being the first to welcome him back.

"Welcome back Logan, it's good to see you again." She smiled and raised her hand in a friendly gesture.

He nodded his head forward and replied, "Same to you, Ro." With the ice now gone Kitty ran forward and Logan acknowledged her with a grunt, "Half-pint." He began walking off towards the mansion after that but was caught off guard when Kitty came reeling towards him.

"Mr. Logan!" She nearly screamed as she jumped onto his back and clung to his neck. He grunted and his muscles locked up in surprise before he could pry her off. The others were just laughing like there was no tomorrow. He stalked off in the direction of the mansion.

"Where you going?" Bobby called to Logan's distancing figure.

Logan didn't look back but did mention that he was going to the nearest kitchen. That comment earned a lot of mumbling out of everyone around. It was lunch time after all and they must have been hungry, however Logan was famished. The last time he had eaten anything was two days ago and it was only a banana. He hadn't expected an audience to the pig fest that he wanted to have.

He sighed but kept going through the halls of the mansion with a parade at his heals towards the closest kitchen. This one was small and was really only designed to hold snack foods. It had a small rounded counter away from the wall called and island, the counters up against the walls contained a double sided sink a split fridge and a four burner stove with an oven and a microwave above it.

Since present company prevented him from eating the amount that he wanted to, he just plucked an apple from the fruit bowl on the island, as everyone piled in behind him.

He took a bite into the crisp semisweet apple; his extended canines clipped its skin first and his sharp teeth made quick work of its interior. As its juices soothed his dry throat his hunger returned triple fold. Before anyone else even managed to get one piece of food from anywhere within the room, the apple was gone and he quickly replaced it with a second he had stashed in his pocket. Before he could even taste its flesh, Charles wheeled himself into the room. No one else had noticed his arrival.

He waited there for a moment and then spoke up. "Perhaps it would have been more a appropriate for this large of a group to go to the main kitchen." Charles paused as he tried to meet everyone's evasive eyes; the only one that meets them is himself. "Welcome back Logan perhaps we could speak for a few moments in the privacy of my office?"

Logan took a ravenous bite of his apple and almost swallowed it whole before replying to Charles request. "Sure thing Chuck." He slipped through the doorframe behind Charles as the man glanced again at the occupants of the room.

They began going down the hall in silence save the pull of the crisp apple as Logan tore it with his teeth. It was Logan who broke the silence when he was done eating, "So, what's up"

Charles was quiet for a moment before answering, "Well, Logan, you happen to come back at what I suppose _you_ might consider a bad time." Charles paused again but Logan refrained from interrupting. "Jean, Scott, Kitty, Bobby, Kurt, Rouge, Evan, and Jubilee are going on a trip to Hawaii, and they need an adult supervisor." Charles concluded.

Logan stopped where he was in the hall and it took Charles a moment to realize that he had. "Ya can't be serious Chuck." He scowled "That is not what I planned on doing when I got back. And ya know that I have problems with airports, I'll never get past the metal detectors!" Charles waited obviously knowing he wasn't done, and he was right, Logan wasn't. "Why would they need me in the first place? One Eye and Red are quite capable of watchin' the rest."

Charles had turned to face him and he was smiling, touching the tips of his finger together in front of his face. "They are throwing an end of summer party for themselves, and are going to be staying at a beach front hotel and so will need supervision, supervision from one not participating in the party."

Logan sighed knowing he wasn't going to get out of this one. "That didn't answer my whole question Chuck."

Charles looked at Logan and stated, "I would have sent Ororo instead, but I thought that you might enjoy a change of scenery." Charles paused as Logan stared at him, but continued as the hard look within Logan's eyes didn't fade. "It's just for the weekend Logan, you leave on Friday."

Logan watched Charles spin around and continue down the hall, after a moment he jogged to catch up. "But that's in two days." He complained hopping to get out of it, with of course no luck.

"Good, then you have got a few days to repack." Charles replied as they crossed the threshold of his office. He turned around behind his desk and gestured to the seat in front of him of which Logan sat down in. Then he started on a new subject, "Now would you care to explain why there is a jet on my lawn?"

Logan only took a few minutes to explain plainly that that was how he chose to get back, but he realized that it wasn't a good enough explanation for Charles. He let out a heavy breath and stood up, "If you don't want to suck up the cover story then I'll show you." He left stiffly out of the office with a silent Charles following behind him.

When they made it outside Logan was glad to see that everyone was still in the kitchen, so he went straight over to Crusher and paused to glance back at Charles hopping he wouldn't look foolish.

He took a deep breath before he spoke quietly, "You there?" He asked sure that even if Crusher did hear him that he wouldn't answer. His fears were short lived, for that he was glad. Crusher shifted the front of the plane that was the cockpit into a vaguely head shaped space. It wasn't his regular face, or what he normally does but it was probably better than going all out on the lawn in front of a window.

Crusher's eyes blinked and he angled them at the window in which the team was behind before he looked back over at the two in front of him. "You must be Charles Xavier." Charles at Crusher's declaration became open mouthed but he nodded in affirmation. "It has been nice to finally meet you officially Charles. My name is Crusher." At conclusion to his statement he went back to the F-16 form.

Logan turned to Charles and raised an eyebrow, well?"

To his surprise Charles was speechless but he did manage to spit out one word, "What…?"

A half smile broke on his face and he looked in Crusher's direction, "Hmm… What were your exact words?"

"I am an autonomous robotic organism, but please just call me Crusher." Crusher answered stiffly as if he was suddenly uncomfortable.

Logan noticed that Charles had finally regained his composure and he said to him, "Well Chuck, that answer your question?"

Charles replaced the tips of his finger together but remained silent for a few moments before he addressed Logan. "Where did you find… him?"

Crusher answered for Logan, "I have been his motorcycle recently, but have been at his side for years. _I_ had found _him_." That answer seemed to satisfy Charles.

"Well… that was a surprise…" Charles spoke slowly as if he was uncertain of his words. "I too am glad to have met you Crusher.

Logan began back towards the mansion but stopped as a thought came to him, but he missed his chance to speak when Charles caught up and asked him about the scar of ripped up grass that Crusher had created when he had landed.

"Red should fix that." Logan replied, "Nothing would have happened to the grass if she had left Crusher to land himself."

"Yes, about that, she said that she looked to see who was in the plane, and that it appeared empty. On the ground when you jumped out Scott only reacted as if you were and enemy." Charles commented as they paused by the doors to the mansion. "What scares me most Logan is that even now while you remain in front of me, it is as though you are not here at all, no psychic trace of you is there not even a hint. I have tried to ignore this but it is worrying me to think that you have either become skilled enough in shielding your mind that you can now shield you very presence, or that we telepaths are losing out touch. And if so why? And why only with you?"

As Charles stopped talking Logan began to feel the weight of his words. Chuck really was quite worried, but he didn't know how to react, because for one, it wasn't his problem and in some cases Logan was glad that the snoopers couldn't snoop on him now. But he suppose he understood what it was that was bothering Chuck. He relied on his power, as did all of them and if he, and Jean for that matter, were losing their abilities, it was a scary thought for them; though on the other hand if it had something to do with himself…

"Has anything happened to you since you left, Logan?" Charles inquired.

Logan didn't answer right away so he could think about a few things. Nothing exactly had happened _to _him, but there was one major difference compared to other times he had been away from the mansion. The orb. Perhaps then, it was best to tell Charles about it…

"Well," Logan said as he pulled the orb from his pocket, "As a matter of fact, I found something that might interest you." He held out his hand near his waist with the golden orb resting on his palm.

Charles leaned in, interest plain on his face. He reached out with his hand asking if he could look at it. Logan simply nodded and watched as Charles brought his fingers closer to the orbs surface. With surprise he saw the orb's golden surface begin to go grey on the side of Chucks impending fingers. The closer they got, the darker and blacker the entire surface became. When Charles touched the orb he flinched, ripped his hand away and flexed his fingers as if a shock of electricity went through them.

Logan jerked back in response to Charles sudden movement and he closed his hand around orb, but not before noting that its color had gone fully back to normal. He frowned but somehow wasn't completely surprised by Chuck's reaction.

"If you don't mind I would like it if Hank could take a look at that." Charles pointed at his closed hand, which had begun to put the orb back into his jeans. Logan nodded in acknowledgement. "Good, well that's taken care of. Welcome back Logan." Charles smiled at him and then rolled inside leaving him standing alone in front of the main doors.

A moment or two after Charles was out of view Logan went inside, jotted down a note on a small piece of paper and then headed back outside to Crusher. He wasted no time with explanations; he just threw himself into the cockpit and slammed the controls on. He had only just got back but already he almost looked forward to Hawaii. The only thing that put a damper on that was that he wasn't going to be alone. He groaned; only the image of a cold beer in his hand was keeping him from doing something he'd regret.

Crusher took off without complaint and landed silently as a helicopter just on the other side of the surrounding fence. Logan jumped out of the front seat so he could shift without interference. Sitting on the familiar frame of his motorcycle and burning rubber without remorse made Logan more content then he had been in awhile.

It had taken only five minutes to reach his favorite bar, for which he was thankful, just as he was with Crushers lack of speech. The bar was a rickety place, nearly falling down but it was his kind of place with its dark interior. The air was heavy and cloudy as the other patrons smoked, drank and gambled their life away. Occasionally he did such activities with them before they were too drunk to stand because he had a good time making easy money from the pool bids, but today he wasn't interested.

He went straight over to the bar, ordered a beer and sat down on the old fashion bar stool that protested at his weight. He rubbed his face as the bartender came over with his beer and sat it down in front of him. He realized he didn't recognize her face. He thought he was in the wrong place but his surroundings hung him up. He remembered all of it, the long dusty but well kept bar at the back where he was now. The pool tables on the far side of the room, on his right now as his body was slightly angled back towards the door; the ugly green upholstered leather couch under the concave window behind the pool tables, the racks for the players to stash their drinks and the other dining room side which was as usual almost completely empty.

_Oh…_ He thought as he put it all together, along with the time of day, he wasn't in the wrong place. It was during the day, so the bar tender was different. _What would Jubes say? Dah!_ Man did he feel stupid. He snatched up the untouched beer and downed the bottle in one go and with the same breath ordered another. The girl tending to his drink seemed shocked by his soon to be obvious attempt to get wasted. Must be a new tender if that was a surprise, most come to a bar during the day to do just what he was, drink, and drink heavy.

He waved her for another before he sucked back his second. When he picked up the third she began to reach out to him like she wanted to say something but thought better of it as he moved off to a rounded booth in the far left corner of the dinner section under the second concave window. He stared out the window and let his mind go blank, though it wasn't easily done. The waiter took his time which annoyed him a bit but he ordered a cheese burger with a side of fries. He also put in for another beer as the one in his hand was half empty.

Logan sat in silence but watched and listened to the jabbering from two men playing pool on the other side of the room. It was just them and himself here save the biker couple at the bar stopping for a bite. His burger came shortly after one of the pool guys punched the other in the gut for cheating while he went to the bathroom. The waiter who was a burly man had to break up the fist fight before it turned into something hurtful to the building. _Boring._ The burger and fourth beer didn't last long so he ordered another beer as he picked at the fries on his plate.

The next hour or two were uneventful till Cyke came along and ruined that. He came in with another few bikers that seemed to have come to meet the others. Logan was working on his third pitcher of beer which the waiter seemed more than willing to fill.

It took a moment but Cyke spotted Logan and headed straight towards him and silently joined him in the booth which once again prompted the waiter over. Logan ignored the exchange of words but snorted when Cyke only ordered a Coke.

They sat in silence with Logan staring out the window feeling Cyke's gaze on his head till Scott got his drink and Logan was filling his glass with the close to empty pitcher.

"How much have you drunk already, Logan?" Scott asked him. Logan just shrugged, hell, he wasn't countin'. He saw Scott shake his head out of the corner of his eye and swung back half his glass.

"Look, I want to apologize for attacking you. Jean told me that she didn't know anyone was even in the plane. She thought it was empty! It surprised me when you opened the cockpit." Logan lazily glanced away from the window to look and orientate his body more in Cyke's direction. He shrugged again, already past that.

But Scott wasn't. "Would you at least say something? I feel like I'm talking to a wall!"

Logan remained blank, "What do you want me to say?" he filled his glass finishing what was left in the pitcher.

Cyke threw his hands in the air dramatically, "Anything!"

"I don't care about what either you or Jean did." He paused, "How did you find me?"

Scott was taken aback by his first comment, "Oh. This is where you usually are when you say you're going to be out late." _Well If anything's true I can't argue with that_ Logan thought to himself.

They were silent for awhile as Logan downed another couple of beers, since the waiter filled the pitcher, and Scott started on another Coke.

"What happened to the plane you flew in with? And I thought I saw your motorcycle out front." He gestured towards the window.

"Thought you read the note?" Logan raised his eyebrow at Scott catching him with second hand information.

"Well… no…" Scott stumbled with his words and seemed worried when Logan cut him off.

"I moved the jet to a hanger and got my bike." Logan claimed nonchalantly.

Scott frowned, unknowingly spotting the lie. "I thought you rode the bike back to Canada?" Logan shook his head refraining from continuing to dig a hole. Thankfully Scott let it drop.

It was a long time before anything was spoken. It was Scott who broke the ice again when he paid for his Cokes and stood up. "I think I'm going to head back, you going to come?"

Logan thought about that and kind of wondered why he came here in the first place. Was it from the meeting with Amber he had to go through or something else? He wasn't drunk that was for sure, he never was, but his head was a little cloudy. He shrugged to himself, why not just head back? A workout in the Danger Room would be nice.

Scott was just turning to leave when Logan stood up and threw the amount he owed on the table. Scott had waited and they uncharacteristically walked out of the bar together. Logan got on his bike while Scott jumped over the door on his convertible and they pulled out at relatively the same time with Logan leading the way back. He jumped when a voice spoke and he could only just make it out through the wind, it was Crusher.

"It's not like you to spend quality time with Summers."Logan rolled his eyes hoping Cyke hadn't noticed his reaction to Crushers banter.

They showed up at the mansion two hours after Logan originally left. Some of the year round students had begun playing basket ball while others were soaking up the sun before it got too cold out. Logan parked Crusher in his usual spot in the garage but wondered now if somewhere else was better so Crusher would be able to actually get out on his own every once in awhile. Logan noted to himself to ask later when nobody was around, but for now left him where he was.

Cyke had left the garage through the large bay doors and Logan started to follow him but changed his mind and took the hidden passage that he had discovered when he had first gotten to the mansion. The passage suited him just fine, it let him go from the garage to the main hall in about a minute rather than having to go all the way around to the main entrance first.

When Logan emerged he went slowly over to the kitchen where he left his bag and sword, then he took an elevator down to the basement levels. The lower levels were for the team members only and one un-encoded room for staff to do their laundry. This room was Logan's stop. It was empty of course as it was every time he came down to clean his clothes. The room was small, the walls which were made of metal were always cold and the only color in the room besides white, grey, black, or a really pale blue, was two pairs of blood red washers and driers. There were a third pair of machines but they were white and the only ones who used those two were Hank, and sometimes Kurt. Hank got his own set of machines because his fur clogged it up a lot.

Logan moved up to the machines and claimed the red one closest to the door and put in his clothes. The machines were set up with the washers on the left side of the room and the dryers on the right. There were shelves above the machines to place clean loads if their owner hadn't come back yet and at the end of the room there are shelves on the right with spare clean linen for Hank and the cupboard of detergent and fabric softeners on the left. Logan went for the detergent, had his machine started and was out the door in minutes, heading for the Danger Room.

"At least it's empty." He muttered to himself. Logan had begun punching in the door code to the Danger Room when he remembered that he still had Ornthrond on his back, he meant to put it in his room before he came down. He changed his plans from his regular routine to a new simulation. It took awhile to prep the simulation but the skills that Forge taught him, quick easy ways to make a new simulation, proved, for once, to be very useful.

The new simulation that he set up was simple; no scenery was added, just the people he had to defeat. The people too were simple two types of males, and two types of females; hard and harder. All of them wore the same clothes, white kimonos. The males were, dark skinned and light skinned, the darks had brown hair and brown eyes and the light had blond hair and blue eyes. Typical. The females had two shades of light skin, pale and slightly tan, the tans had green eyes and black hair and the pales had red hair and hazel eyes. Not the most imaginary, but they'll do. After all they were designed to be 'samurai,' skilled masters of the blade, so that's what they were, no one said they needed to be pretty.

It felt like a switch was flicked on in his head. It told the same thing that prodded painful memories at him after he saw Amber, to come out and play with him again. And play it did.

He was standing in a round grassy area surrounded by gardens on all sides. They were spectacular spring colors, encompassing the whole area; cherry trees and a few evergreens block any view of the outside world. The only way he could disconcert any type of direction from another was from a pagoda that was roughly off to his right with a small stone path leading from the circle to the structure. Logan wasn't the only one in the clearing, another man also stood within the circle; he was clearly Japanese with slanted eyes. He stood in front of Logan with a stern and expectant expression as his body and the sword in his hand were held at the ready; the purpose was quite clear as to why they were here but it took awhile for Logan to figure out what that was. The elder man had grey, almost white hair, a goatee and a long moustache of the same color. He was wearing a traditional white kimono and its style gave Logan the hint he needed; the kimono was styled in the appropriate style for the man's rank of Sensei, he was a samurai.

_Wait. I know that sword…_ Logan thoughts snapped back to the sword when its detail caught his attention. The glint of the golden samurai on the hilt was like a slap in the face when it registered in his brain. _That's mine… or, is it? _The foggy thoughts jumbled together in a meaningless clump. _No, it's his, it always has been… _It felt like he was trying to peer through mud to see the solid ground underneath, when all the mud did was get thicker. Then he lost grip on what he thought he knew and if felt now as if someone was working him like a puppet. _Why does this feel wrong? _Logan was uncomfortable feeling like he was in some alternate reality. He felt a small amount of weight on his head and he forgot his worries; believing that this was his current present. Different thoughts came to him about bizarre troubles that he never knew he had, and in a language that he never knew that he knew. He shook his head at those troubles and focused on the now.

He was wearing a kimono too though his was black regardless of his rank, which was master, because he was gaijin, an outsider. The blade that he used was plain and lacking any display of wealth, it was also unnamed and unimportant, a tool.

The two of them bowed and brought their blades together in a clash, over and over again. Dispute his increased endurance Logan found that he started sweating before his opponent even began showing any signs of fatigue. Logan continued to be knocked down or concurred by what he had previously pegged as a frail old man, though he respected him far more than he had anyone else before. He couldn't get an edge and it didn't help that the man was mocking him in Japanese, with lines such as, "your form is hideous," or "slow down or the only one you're going to hurt is yourself." The old man was laughing in his face.

Once again Logan dragged himself out of the grass and prepared himself for another bought of beatings. However when they came together Logan decided that a change in tactic would probably produce better results, _it's not like things could go any worse._ This time he tried more defense, and he paid mind to one of his Sensei's mocking lines, thinking that surly they had some truth. He slowed down his movements to see his opponents' actions before he reacted. It allowed him to notice small shifts in balance that he hadn't been able to before. This time he pared properly and struck out at the opening that it had left in the Sensei's guard.

Logan had won that round and every other clash after that moment, about thirty of them; ten more than he had failed. He was pumped, ready for another win, but that was when his Sensei had called it. Instead of getting ready for another spar the man stood straight with squared shoulders and bowed signaling the end of the session, Logan hurried to reciprocate the bow and sheathed his sword just as his Sensei did the same.

That was generally when Logan left without a word but the call of his name stopped him, and he turned back to the Sensei. He stared Logan down with a look that could kill and the words that he said sounded slightly sarcastic, "You no longer disgust me." He said. Logan couldn't help but smile just a little; it was the best compliment in which that man ever gave to anyone. Logan watched him and pin pointed so many little things that he had previously missed such as the sight twitch the man's hand made approximately every ten seconds.

Then his expression started scrunching up almost as if in pain, and the wrinkles on his forehead increased the effect. On the contrary though the look on his face had also morphed into a kind and caring one, almost expectant with some longing too which made Logan feel very uncomfortable. When he stepped forward Logan fought with a strong instinct that told him to back away. He managed to resist but it wasn't easy.

"Logan," the man said slowly with a quiet reverence. "There is nothing more that I can teach, which you haven't already mastered." Logan watched him raise both his arms. The decorative sword rested there on his palms within its scabbard which was now unbuckled from his waist, the leather belt was now wrapped around the scabbard. "Take up this sword and follow the path you've always been destined to take."

Logan frowned but didn't question him and he reached out and grabbed the sword on the wrapped grip of the scabbard with his left hand. When his fingers touched the scabbard, a shock rocketed up his arm, making it feel like tingly rubber. His eyes widened but the initial spike was dissipating quite rapidly and a new feeling took its place. It was a strange and insisting, it was like touch of another mind on his own; not that he really knew what that felt like.

He lifted the sword off of the other man's palms and placed his right hand on the hilt in an almost caressing way. After all it was still a meitou, a named blade; it was an honor to receive one.

"Ornthrond, the Eagle Eye, henceforth obeys you and only you." The Sensei decreed as he backed away from Logan towards the stone path. "It will always be close in any time of need, even if it is not a sword that you have need for." His voice was like a whisper in the wind now, getting fainter. "Find the Stone of Sindri to complete its power. And it will lead you to the very heart of our kind."

Logan watched as he disappeared, unsure of what to think especially when an annoying prodding began at the back of his mind, as if it was trying to tell him something. Then he missed his chance for getting out any questions when a misty fog swelled up out of nowhere swallowing the remains of his disappearing figure and Logan's very own feet.

Logan snapped out of the memory with a shake of his head and all of his surroundings slowly began to sink back in. He was back in the Danger Room and the simulation he had programmed was only just starting up. Holograms that looked like real people holding swords gathered around him. He remained dumbfounded though when he looked down to find Ornthrond in his hand and couldn't remember how it got there; he hadn't pulled it from the scabbard on his back.

One of the female, red haired holograms swung down on an arch towards his neck and he pulled out of his stupor, to bring up his blade to block and sweep the other one away. Then he decided to try both of the tactics that he used in his memory, if that's what it was, force and skill. Logan chose to begin with force already knowing how it would end. With the force approach only his dogging ability kept him from being carved up like a turkey.

"STOP SIMULATION!" He called out to the voice activated system. A sword was leveled at his throat ready for a thrust that would be considered a killing blow. Only in his case it would keep him unconscious for about half an hour.

Logan slipped out from underneath the sword with a heavy breath of relief, especially when he noticed the angle of another sword that was behind him. It was raised up but angled down and when he analyzed the slop the cut would have made, it would have ended between his last two ribs, lodged up against his spine, through at least three major organs. _That _would put him out for a minimum of 24 hours, most likely longer. He cringed as he realized just how bad a shape he would have been in.

He took a couple deep breaths to settle his unease; the air from his lungs traveled in through his nose and out through his mouth for a calming effect. He closed his eyes and took on last breath.

"Resume simulation." He spoke clearly and prepared for the onslaught. He couldn't help but cringe as he watched the two holograms that had been poised to 'kill' him, killed each other.

This time around Logan analyzed them, but didn't focus on any one of their actions. The first hologram that approached him was a middle aged, tan, black haired one. It's features were generic but the way it moved was skilled.

Logan watched and found he saw so much more of his opponents' movements then he had in a very, very long time; which is saying quite a bit. It became easy and the more he pared and stabbed or slashed the more fluid he got. He also noticed how much less energy it took to get the job done.

When it came down to the last hologram Logan placed Ornthrond back in its scabbard where it rested across his back and he developed a boxing stance. The hologram came in close before it struck at him but he just huffed at its slowness as he rolled to the left out of the way and then he dispatched it by decapitation with the claws on his right hand.

Clapping and congratulations accompanied the fading head rolling on the floor, and the rest of the fading simulation. Ororo and her nephew Evan were standing just inside the large bay doors, the entrance to the danger room. _That's what made that banging earlier when I had just restarted the simulation. _Thought Logan as the two approached him. It took a moment for him to realize that he had left his claws out; he snapped them in.

Evan was doing circles on his skateboard over the spot where the holograms head had rolled. "That was so cool!" The boy looked at him briefly before he went back to flailing his arms around pretending to do what Logan had been doing with Ornthrond. "You should show us how to do that kind of stuff!" Evan came to a stop beside Ororo. "Don't you think Auntie O?"

Ro had raised her eyebrow at him as she regarded the teenager. "Go get into your Uniform Evan. I can't believe that you have forgotten again." She looked down at him sternly and with disapproval.

Logan couldn't help but gaze at her beautiful walnut colored skin, her bright white hair and the leather uniform that clung tightly to her body. Only this time it was different. She was just beautiful to him; she wasn't _hot_ anymore. When he looked at Ororo a ghostly apparition of Amber's shocked face hovered over top like a mask.

He was so distracted that he hadn't noticed Spike leave and that Ororo was starting to talk to him. "I didn't know that you could use a sword like that Logan." She said it to him like a question.

Logan pulled himself away from his questionable visions of Amber to shrug his shoulders. "I remembered…" He mumbled to himself slowly, wishing he could forget about Amber.

Ro blinked back at him in surprise, "Remembered? What did you remember?"

He was so lost in his thoughts that Ro's comment made his start. He didn't know he had said that out loud. "It doesn't matter."

Ro paused, looking at him oddly but didn't push him about the memories but she had noticed something he didn't. "What happened to the sword that you were using? Where did it go?"

That shocked him. "What?" He brushed is left hand across his chest and it came away without feeling the strap. "What the _HELL_!?" Logan almost yelled as he turned around in a circle without seeing it. He stopped, facing away from Ro and he felt a light weight slowly building on his back.

Her gasp was one indication and another pass by his hand confirmed it. How the sword had disappeared then reappeared on his back certainly wasn't something he could possible figure out right now. Just then Evan skated in, now in his uniform.

His uniform was made out of leather just as everyone else's. It was close fitting, and had small amounts of color highlights. The suit had flowing lines and was accented with orange; almost the way they make jacket seems with the reflective strips. His belt buckle was made of a shiny metal; it had a base of orange with a black x over top and the outside of the circle was black.

Storm's was very similar though he accenting color was a light grey. The only true difference between her suit and spikes was the cape. The back was black and the underside was the same light grey as on her belt only it had a metallic shin.

Logan's out suit was close to theirs, just as all the X-Men suits are. His however had a bit of both colors; the grey was accenting the lines on the suit, the orange played a more prominent role. There were two almost claw like marks of Orange on each of the shoulders, on the straps of his boots, and on his buckle. He was the only one with two colors. Cyke had red, Jean and Rouge had green, Shadowcat had purple, Iceman had a light ice blue, Nightcrawler had a deep blue and so on.

Evan had proved a good distraction from Ornthrond all right so that's when he made his escape. "See you around Ro," He gave her a small nod of his head as he passed. He acknowledged Evan too, "Porcupine."

He tried to ignore the swords disappearing act as he went back down the hall to the laundry room. Only it's hard to ignore something that happens twice; he could feel its weight dissipating and a quick check only confirms that once again, it was gone. The machine that he had started had since stopped after he left and now Logan placed the clothes into a dryer on the other side of the room.

After he left the room he decided to wait out the dyer's cycle in the gym. He went down the underground hall, though only a few feet this time. The set of double doors that mark the gym are made of naturally stained would rather than metal and a small slit like windows on each door above the handle close to the edge complete the look. There were two parts to this gym, the smaller side that has doors to it from outside in the hall and from the gym, is the room with weights, treadmills, and ellipticals and any other workout machine you could possibly imagine. The larger portion was a large basket ball court that could be used for just about anything including volleyball or badminton.

Logan went over to the side with the weights. He stalked in; passing all the equipment in favor of a corner that was set up almost like a boxing gym. His target was a red punching bag. Technique didn't matter to him right now, only power, and why would he bother with the gloves? They were lame and made his hands sweat. He slammed the bag around attempting to defuse the raw emotions that Amber had drawn out. But no matter how hard he hit or how inefficient he swung nothing could stop the thoughts from rolling around in his head.

***Again Reviews are helpful and I love to here what you think :) Don't forget that it keeps me writing too so please Review!***


	7. Chapter 7: A Knock on the Door

***Disclaimer: If you recognize it it's not mine (most likely) and even so, this isn't making me any money...***

Chapter 7

A Knock on the Door

It was Friday 6:45 in the morning, Amber had completed packing the day before and she had just wrapped-up harassing Camryn to finish up as well. Their clothes and a few objects were packed into luggage bags in the front hall.

Amber was stroking Luna's feathers as the drakan, in her favorite falcon form, clutched to her wrist. She was absently gazing out the window hoping her daughter could finish her breakfast faster. She couldn't eat herself as her nerves were wound way too tight. Excitement and apprehension at the same time, especially when she mentally went over the call she had made to the institute last night. It had been late, yes, and she hadn't expected anyone to pick up but Xavier had kindly answered her call.

"Charles Xavier."

"Um… hello Charles, my name is Amber." She chocked on her words slightly not expecting the man she wanted to talk to, this time, to have been the man that picked up.

"Hello Amber, is there something I can help you with?"

She had swallowed deeply and continued on as best she could, "Yes, actually. My daughter Camryn and I would like to come to your school."

"Ah…" He had replied clearly interested, "Of course, that can be arranged. Is there a particular reason why you wish to come?"

The first thing that she had wanted to do was to tell him all of her overbearing problems since she hadn't had a proper night sleep since that morning that Logan came over. But she couldn't or course so she went with the original plan. "Camryn's mutant powers have begun to develop and I want her to be able to go somewhere that she can be truly accepted." It sounded like such a convincing lie, perhaps because it was true in away, and clearly Charles had thought so too.

"Of course, everyone deserves normality. Was there a certain time in which you had planned to arrive?"

"Early tomorrow perhaps?"

"Alright we'll have rooms prepared for 7 o'clock. Feel free to come at whatever time you see fit. I'll be expecting you.

"Thank you." She had said in a small voice.

"You're very welcome Amber."

Now she tuned into Luna's quiet mental hum to try and calm herself, but unfortunately it had the opposite effect. Instead of Luna quieting her crazy mind Amber had been unintentionally placing her out of control feelings with Luna too.

Luna squealed and ruffled her feathers meanwhile pulling away from Amber mentally. Amber sighed, she loved connecting so closely with her drakan and sharing all the troubles of her heart. Ultimately though it was Luna who decided when to talk or not.

Camryn startled Amber when she got up and brought her plate to the sink. It also unintentionally gave more grief to Amber who just wanted to leave. The time was ticking, though apparently a lot slower than Amber believed it was.

Shona was resting on the luggage, waiting to go by the time everyone else was ready. This was what Amber had been waiting for too. They were finally going to go, but suddenly she felt unsure about being able to transport them all. Guardians like Jace and Keepers like herself and Sofia could use their elemental magic to transport things. If said person was skilled and strong enough in their element then they could even move things through that element in a quickened amount of time, almost instantly. Amber wasn't strong enough herself for the amount she wanted to move, but she just might be with the help of her staff.

The staff was a six foot tall, metallic copper colored pole. The base was the neck spike of an ancient deceased dragon, the top was made of the same metal, and it reminded her of the stories her mom used to tell her of what the Dragon Heart of Hearts looks like; four spikes surround a glowing ball of light energy grasping it like an overturned hand. By her mother's description Amber could spot the difference between the Heart and her staff; the energy in the center of the staff was held within the head of the staff by thin bands of charmed metal, the Heart on the other hand allowed its stone to hover in the stand by ancient magic that has been long forgotten.

Amber had brought the staff to the hall earlier in preparation knowing she would need it. Transporting herself would have been no problem without its use, even to go such a distance but with two people, two drakan and luggage? Now way. She picked up the staff and scared Shona off her bag so she could move it to the living room around the corner. Camryn joined Amber with her own bag soon after.

Amber indicated that Cam should stand beside her with the luggage in front of them and the drakan on top of the bags. She held her staff with her right hand and surveyed what was in front of her. It wasn't going to be easy but she could do it.

With her eyes closed she let her energy combine with the light energy of the staff; it was like being bathed in crystal clear water, it felt alive and thrummed with its own life, tickling her from top to bottom. Now came the tricky part. She had to choose which element to use for transporting them. The choice could mean the difference between success and failure or even life and death. The _Earth_ element was her strongest element but not strongest for the staff. _Air_ was her one of her next strongest elements, and she was positive _Fire_ or _Water_ wouldn't be very easy. _Air_, she would use _Air_. As she made her decision the color of light from her staff became slightly blue and a light breeze blew around them beginning a vortex.

Amber fixed an image of the institute in her mind, holding it there as she fed more energy to the wind. A cyclone started to develop around them blowing steadily faster and faster and faster. She increased the energy flow from her combined pool.

A shift began happening and she could tell that they were at an in-between state; neither in their home living room, nor on the ground outside the institute. Then the shift completed as she came to the max of her power, for a moment they were held in both places. Energy ebbed away a bit and that told her they were completely disconnected from the room in Alberta. New York their destination began to take shape behind the wall of swift air. The noise of it all sounded like a small hurricane to Amber and she could guess that it sounded the same to Cam, Shona and Luna.

The final move was hard on Amber but it was a relief when she could let go of the magic. The cyclone faded and she sunk to her knees. Luna squawked in concern and landed on her shoulder. "It's okay Luna." She whispered, totally exhausted.

When she had fallen Amber had dropped her staff but now she planted the base spike in the ground and used it to help, and then prop her up. The light within the small glass ball was white again and almost completely diminished. It would definitely have been suicide if she had pulled a stunt like that without its help.

Amber stood leaning on the staff with Luna on her opposite shoulder, her left one, and she took a step forward and picked up her case, nearly caving from the weight. "It's okay mum, I'll get them." Cam came over to her and took the bag from her aching fingers.

She sighed, "Thanks sweetie, that spell took an awful lot." Out of the corner of her eye she saw Cam nod but felt a certain despair come off her. She knew what it was, the fact that her magic hadn't come in yet. Amber knew how she felt, hers had come in slowly too.

They walked the rest of the way to the large glass doors in silence. It took them awhile to get there as the magic had put them past the grand water fountain. When they past a large black van with an X on the bumper Amber paused, a few large bags of traveling luggage were already packed inside.

_Where are they going? _She thought. Noises originating from the mansion snagged her interest. The sounds ended when a thin boy maybe 16 years old came out gliding down to the vehicle on an ice slide. He was holding another smaller bag that was obviously going into the van. When he got up close to the van he slowed a bit and jumped off the slide and shoved the bag into the others without care. His frosty brown hair showered crystals into their direction.

He was just about to take off again when he spotted the four of them off to the side and he spun towards them. "Hey, who are you?" He asked not unfriendly as he created a new slide to glide the couple feet over to them, from his hand.

Amber smiled slightly, still wiped from getting them here. "We're here to see Charles Xavier." The boy nodded back at her in silent acknowledgement.

"Hey! I know you!" Camryn stunned everyone in her sudden enthusiasm. "You're Bobby Drake, the Iceman!"

Bobby looked surprised and flattered that Camryn had known who he was and because of that Amber saw a spark of show-offness appear in his eyes. He took a bow, "Iceman at your service!" He held out his hand and the two of them and their drakan got an icy slick ride up to the door.

"Bobby!" A small girl about Bobby's height and age stepped through the wall off to their left, "Mine next!" She declared with a flip of her chocolaty hair that was neatly done up into a pony tail. She paused when her eyes slid across Amber, Camryn and especially Luna. "Who are they?" She whispered over to Bobby as he groaned going over to her bag.

"Not sure, but boy are they cute." He replied with a weird smile on his face that received a smack to the head.

"Why are they here, dummy?" The girl put her hands on her hips in a disapproving fashion.

"Don't know that either, but the one that kinda looks like Jean said that they wanted to see the professor." He shrugged, "I should go help them." He started to turn towards them but got caught on the back of his shirts collar.

"You just finish with the luggage, like you're supposed too, I'll take them." She spoke down to him in a teasing condescending way. She waited till Bobby left and came over to Amber's small group. "Hey." She smiled "Sorry 'bought that, his office is this way." She hiked a thumb over her right shoulder, pointing towards a wall. "You can leave your stuff here, we're going to take, like, the express route, so you better, like, hold hands or something." She waited till they were holding hands and Camryn was holding Shona. "Like, here we go." The girl called out as they took off running towards the wall. She was between them and was also dictating how fast they went. Amber cringed every time they came up to a wall, but it was always like the wall wasn't even there.

When they stopped Amber felt really dizzy and she stumbled to a chair that was in the room. Camryn just thought it was too cool, she put Shona on the floor and surprised the girl by giving her a hug. "Thanks Kitty!"

"Right." She smiled tentatively and backed her way through the wall.

"Hello Amber, Camryn. I was not expecting you so early."

Logan was lying on his bed staring up at the ceiling. He wasn't looking forward to this weekend, he didn't want to babysit and he definitely didn't want to do it in Hawaii.

He twitched when Charles interrupted using the PA system. He frowned when he heard its start up beeping; it was used on very rare occasions and usually Chuck wasn't here when it was, not only that but it was only for emergencies.

"Logan, please come down to my office immediately." It clicked out, leaving him more confused. _Why didn't he just send a telepathic message the way he always does?_

Logan took his time making his way down to Chuck's office; in fact he walked slower now than he ever did on a regular basis. As he made his way down the hall it occurred to him that Charles must have only used the PA because he and Jean must still be having troubles hearing him, because as he advanced farther down the hall he picked up on every scent he associated with the team. _Must be some kind of group thing_ he thought_._

At the door Logan picked up on a few unfamiliar scents, he shrugged to himself unconcerned, a new student or two maybe? Though why they would want to come at this hour he didn't know. He pushed open the door with the palm of his hand and stepped inside. The team lined the walls of Charles office, looking either at the Prof or the two girls sitting in the chairs facing the large desk. One of the girls had red hair and a falcon on her shoulder. He was still looking at her when their scents registered. Camryn… and… _Amber_. Then she and the falcon looked around towards him.

His muscles had already frozen, and now that he was staring at the face that had haunted him since he last saw it, well, it's hard to say whether or not he wanted to run, kill her, or kiss her. Chucks voice was mumbled words in the background telling him names he already knew.

A squeal from the falcon forced everyone's attention. Logan glared when everyone else looked confused. A growl slipped between his teeth, directed at the girl and her falcon.

Amber stood and made a step towards him, the falcon meanwhile took off from her shoulder to hover between the two, a foot or two above their heads. Logan growled again and took a step back towards the open door. When he planted his foot back down he spun and almost rushed to the door but found that for some reason Cyke decided to block it. Great! Now he felt trapped.

"Get out of my way boy scout." He growled menacingly. His fists were clenched and he could feel the slow tearing cut of his claws coming out of their own accord.

"What is your problem Logan?!" Cyke stood with his hands in his pockets.

"Logan, I think we need to talk." Amber spoke quietly and came forward another step; he could feel the air move around him from her reaching out with her hand.

"Talk about what!" He yelled back, whipping around to face her, "The fact that you left without a word?!" He gestured wildly as he made his accusation, "I had to hear it from Marcus!"

Amber stepped back in astonishment suddenly unsure. She swallowed "What do you know?"

"I know enough" He continued and then finished with a whispered snarl, "I can't believe I trusted you."

That comment seemed to rile Amber up and he heard her take another step towards his back which he had turned back towards her. "Is that what you think!?" She asked him with horror in her voice. "That I left to get at you for something!?"

"Why else would you!?" he yelled and looked at her again, making her cringe.

"I had my reasons! And you overreacted!"

Logan shook his head hopping Amber didn't see that she had gained a bit of ground.

"No reason could have been good enough to leave without telling me." This time he spoke quieter with a tich of regret.

Then Amber ruined the calm that began creeping up on him, "You wouldn't have understood." She whispered.

That made his anger blaze once more, "Wouldn't have understood! You didn't even give it a chance!" He spun back to the door where Scott was still blocking his way. Without saying anything he grabbed the front of his shirt and threw him aside.

As he went down the hall Logan heard angry flurries of words being thrown around the room behind him. None of it seemed to make sense, but it didn't have too, He knew what they were saying and it wasn't necessarily anything good.

He kept going till he was in the front seat of the X-van. The van was idling when the others came running out of the mansion. No one said anything about what had happened back in the office; which was good as it may have led to a bit of violence otherwise. Guess a change of scenery would be a good idea after all.

She stood there watching his retreating back as Luna made her way with a screech back to her shoulder. The sharp touch of her claws in Amber's shoulder made her internal pain only just easier to bear.

She sunk to her knees only just containing her feelings. _Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, _she chanted to herself. She knew the only emotion on her face was shock; it seemed to be the one emotion that she couldn't hide very well.

Confusion was swept into her from Camryn but it was dimmed by her own crazy thoughts. That's when the yammering started.

Amber could tell that they weren't happy that Logan had yelled at her but they were also confused by the exchange. She could understand why because from an outside perspective it wouldn't make much sense. She wasn't even sure it made sense.

She looked down to the dragon ring on her left hand as the people in the room continued to throw apologies for Logan's behavior at her. In truth, she had expected something close to what had happened, and she wasn't sorry… just disappointed. Logan was angry just as Marcus said he would be.

The dragon wasn't sparkling right now and it looked almost as sad as Amber felt in the shadow, preventing its glitter. She stood up still refusing to listen to their bickering. "Enough." She said, and they listened allowing for quiet. Then she caught the flickering image of a plane at the back of most of their consciousness. "Don't you have a plane to catch?" Amber blinked and looked up into their faces and saw the beginnings of nervous anticipation. All of the X-Men were there including Bobby and Kitty, who she had met earlier and all but a few had that expression. One who didn't was a girl about Camryn's age. She had long red hair like herself though Amber's looked more like fire rather than copper.

The girls name told to her earlier by Charles was Jean Grey. Jean looked understanding and slightly angry at the same time. Amber frowned, what was her problem? She began to slowly probe with her telepathy but was smacked back by a thick mental wall. Amber pulled away immediately and threw up her own wall of defense.

"Yes, thank you for the reminder Amber." Xavier looked from her to the others, "You better catch up with Logan before he leaves without you." Amber was surprised that a small comment from him like that could get them going. Everyone except Charles and the chocolate skinned, white haired woman named Ororo Munroe left, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake as they hurried to catch Logan.

She sighed glade that Charles had interjected before something happened between her and Jean. "That was probably not the best idea. The students here can be just a tad touchy about telepath contact from anyone beside those that have been given permission, especially from an outside telepath." Charles addressed her.

Amber tilted her head slightly to the side, "Why is that?"

"We have had problems and complications in the past that are better left un-discussed."

"Why did you use the Public Announcement system to call Logan down here?" She gestured towards the mike that Charles had used.

Charles paused and pursed his lips. "That is another matter all together." He turned to look at Ororo. "Why don't you show them around Ororo? I'm sure they would love a tour, and perhaps to see their rooms?" he had turned his head back towards Amber and Camryn on the last words and he raised his eyebrow, knowing pretty well what the answer was.

***Again Reviews are helpful and I love to here what you think :) Don't forget that it keeps me writing too so please Review!***


	8. Chapter 8: Unexpected Reuniouns

**A/N: Oh Man! 6 months for one chapter is horendouse! I am so sorry I took this long, but thanks to everyone who didn't get to frustrated with my writers block and over busy schedual. Any way heres what you've been waiting for! Just a side note this is only the first edidted draft so put aside and grammer issues and paragraph or two that might not quite make sense.**

_One more thing before we get to the story... For everyone who has already read my previous chapters before this one was posted I must tel you that **I have changed Ironhide's name to Chrusher** to 1. prevent asossiation with Ironhide from Transformers and 2. because I liked it alittle better for the charactor. Hope that this isn't to inconvienient._

***Disclaimer: If you recognize it it's not mine (most likely) and even so, this isn't making me any money...***

Chapter 8

Unexpected Reunions

The drive to the airport was silent. No one spoke for fear that Logan wasn't quite himself; the way he drove to fast heightened the need to stay quiet.

When they arrived Logan parked near the entrance to keep the teenagers from complaining. He was so close to the edge that he knew the others could feel it too.

Everyone barreled out of the van in the blink of an eye, even Kitty who unfortunately had to sit beside him; the animosity caused her to sit as close to Kurt, who got the front seat, as she could.

Xavier had told the girls to pack light for the weekend and if he wasn't so angry, Logan would have been surprised that they actually had packed light. Everyone had carry on sized bags so at least they wouldn't have to deal with baggage claim; a small blessing in an otherwise annoying shit fest.

Logan already had his bag slung over his left shoulder and he tapped his foot irritably as the kids got out theirs. They walked over to the doors once everyone was ready and the vehicle was locked. Logan let out a sigh when they got there; he hated airports second only to hospitals and their blank, sterile white, boring walls.

The security section came way to soon as far as he was concerned. The others went through, first showing their passports and flight ticket. Their passports were bluish in color, and had the eagle crest on the cover, a tiny marker to indicate the country they were issued from. Logan slapped his against his leg noticing the subtle differences between theirs and his own. His had a black cover, and the Great Britain crest on the cover, indicating a different country; the others had United States passports while his was a Canadian one. In the end it made no difference, but sometimes it made him feel even more like an outsider.

He passed the initial inspection just like he knew he would, though at this point he didn't even know which of his many names were on the passport; he'd had it for so long it might even be time to get a new one.

The stress from the security helped him forget about his fight with Amber, at least for now. He saw the rest relax as he did and their excitement began to build. Logan sighed and shook his head slightly at least he was better at holding his anxiety and stress, than his anger.

As they moved to the new section of security he took in the plain white walls of the large room and the grey and black technology that filled the space almost completely. Small narrow corridor like areas were used to funnel everyone into the full body and luggage scan; the section that he knew he couldn't pass through. Not without making a bit of a disruption.

_The only way I'll be able to pass through that, is if it's broken and the security people don't know it._ He thought, wondering how he might be able to talk his way onto the plane.

Their group had been separated into two lines for this section and Logan was in the second one closest to the wall, beside the wall actually. The people ahead of him were Kurt, Jubilee and Evan. In the other line were Jean, Scott, Kitty, Bobby, and Rouge.

Kurt and Jubilee from his own line made it through without a problem. In the other line Jean, Scott, and Kitty had made it through as well. However Bobby and Evan managed to make their metal detectors go off at the same time. They had already removed their shoes and put all of their loose articles of clothing on the x-ray belt. Evans went off because of a penny in his pocket and Bobby's had a slight malfunction triggered by a pin on the ground.

_Oh no. _He thought; if a penny and a pin could set off the detectors what chance could he possibly have even standing beside it?

He grabbed a tub for his stuff to go in and set it down on the stilled conveyer belt. He placed his bag in it and then set his tags, his belt and the orb, which he realized was still in his pocket, into the tub as well. He stepped in front of the detector with apprehension realizing he had a bit of an audience.

The guard waved him through, but he paused, uncertain of the reaction they'll have after they realize he's completely covered in metal. Another guard went past him beside the wall not going through the detector but beside it. Another slightly angry prompt from the one in front of him and Logan took a deep breath through his nose. There was a thump off beside him to the right up against the wall when he stepped through.

And nothing. No beeping. He looked back at it as his feet carried him over to his stuff. The man that was getting ready behind him stepped closer when Logan heard a low click. His gaze turned over to the guard near the wall just as he took his hand off the power cord for the detector.

_He must have tripped and unplugged it, _was his conclusion. He noticed the others look at him in confusion. He just slipped on his belt, grabbed his stuff and led the walk to the terminal.

As they reached the boarding wait area, Evan started whining about wanting some food, but Jean pointedly told him that they were going to be boarding in a moment or too. When she was done she turned to Logan.

"What was that back there? Why didn't the metal detector go off? Did something happen while you were gone?" She said in a harsh whisper as she looked at him in concern, having completely forgotten any arguments from the morning.

Logan spoke back to her as he sat down in the row of seats by the terminal. He raised his eyebrow as he usually did even though she couldn't see his face, since his cowboy hat had hidden it. "Do you think something happened?"

That seemed to frazzle her a bit. She started to open her mouth to answer, but Logan suddenly found her question and the expression on her face extremely funny. He choked on a laugh wondering what she thought could have happened, that he would somehow lose the adamantium, as if he could possibly remove it like a jacket. Then Evan piped up interrupting his laugh.

"But I saw them on Wednesday, when you were in the Danger Room."

Sobered but still smirking, Logan just stated the facts. "One of the guards pulled the power cord just before I walked through."

"Call for first class passengers of flight 196 to Hawaii for boarding." Everyone looked over to the blond flight attendant, who was smiling so broadly that it had to be completely forced.

"That's us." Cyke said as he grabbed his bag and marched off to the accumulating line. Jean was close behind and then the rest followed. Logan sighed but followed suit, and entered the line behind Rouge.

"Enjoy your flight." The flight attendant said with faked excitement to Rouge as she went into the plane.

Logan frowned at her too happy face and stepped up to give her his flight pass. She checked it and to his relief her smile was gone for just a moment as she observed the article.

She ripped off a piece and once again plastered that smile back on her face. "Enjoy your flight sir." She said with a small tilt to her head, she looked as if her nick was broken or something. "We'll be taking off shortly."

He brushed past her with a nod and went straight to the back of the first class section. All the seats on the right were filled with business suites. The left was now being crawled over by the younger team members, or maybe it was just Bobby and Evan, the annoyance it prompted had him doing a type of breathing meditation that he had learned from somewhere, Japan probably.

Jean and Scott were already sitting in the front not seeming to worry about stopping the teens. Jubilee and Kitty were bouncing in the second row, Kurt was crouched in the third row in the window seat and Evan was attempting to shove his bag into the overhead compartment in front of the fourth row. Bobby was lounged across the last row acting as though he owned the seats and Rouge; well she was putting her bag up into the overhead in front of Bobby's feet. When she finished she too pause to see where she could sit.

Logan stepped up towards the last row but ignored the overhead and looked directly at the Iceman. Bobby looked back at him with a sly expression. Logan jerked his head towards the ally. "Out."

Bobby wiggled deeper into the extra wide, extra padded chairs. "I think I'm good right where I am."

Logan clamped his teeth to prevent the growl rising in his chest. "Now." The word came out along with the growl he was holding in. _So much for that_, he thought.

Bobby immediately folded in on himself and promptly got out of Logan's way, who allowed his eyes to follow the boy for added effect. When Bobby was gone Logan slipped past Rouge and claimed the seat at the window.

"Thanks Logan." Rouge said to him in her southern drawl, sitting down beside him.

"Well," Logan replied as he collected his brown weathered cowboy hat that had been attached to his bag, "we needed to sit somewhere." He looked at the girl pointedly before tilting his hat farther over his eyes, feeling like he wanted to hide and turned to look out the window. He knew that she was smiling beside him.

Camryn had no idea what had gone on, but she could tell that it wasn't good. Her mom was almost crying! She never cried. Camryn's mouth was open, gapping at what she just saw, and it would seem to her that he mom did know who Logan was. Nothing was said by herself or her mother while the others argued about quite a few things, that is until Amber interrupted and mentioned something about a plane.

Acknowledgment shone in everyone's eyes except Jean's emerald green ones; in hers it was suspicion. Cam guessed that Jean now knew about her mom's telepathy.

She started slightly when Xavier's voice came from behind her. "Yes, thank you for the reminder Amber. You better catch up with Logan before he leaves without you." Her mom twitched as if she wanted the last remark to include herself.

The X-Men got rushing to go; soon the only people in the room were herself, her mother, Xavier, and Storm, or Ororo, but her first name was just too hard to pronounce.

Cam heard a sigh come from her mom and wondered why, but Charles spoke to her before she got the chance. "That was probably not the best idea. The students here can be just a tad touchy about telepath contact from anyone beside those that have been given permission, especially from an outside telepath." He explained.

_So she had found out, wonder if she pictured my mom taking her place? After all she has red hair too._ Camryn thought to herself as she missed the rest of the exchange.

"Why don't you show them around Ororo? I'm sure they would love a tour, and perhaps to see their rooms?" Cam turned towards Xavier as he said this and his eyes caught hers and his eye brows went up; perhaps in question?

It wasn't long before Storm was leading them around the expensively lavish mansion. There were busts of important people from history and gigantic pieces of artwork along the hallway walls. Storm led them first, down the hallway they would have used, back into the main foyer. Camryn allowed herself to take in the full grander of the place as storm spoke about it.

There was a carpet that was laid down the hall over the supple looking wooden floor; it was a plush red rug with golden stitching drawing patterns up along its sides. It stopped before it entered the foyer which held more busts and more paintings, but also a rough cleansing mat at the front door for muddy shoes. The area its self was massive, the ceiling alone reached two stories here and the main stairs practically took Cam's breath away. They swept down into the foyer, flowing like a mountain side river that flows into a wide lake. The sight is enhanced almost three fold by the same red and gold carpet adorning the steps. All of these features brought to spectacular light by the rounded wall of windows behind her which led to the brightening dawn.

"This is the main hall." Storm says while Cam digests the sight before her not even seeing the two other bodies in the room. "These stairs lead up to the second floor. There are other stairwells throughout the school but these are used the most." Storm waved her hand up towards the stairs, and then followed after it. She told them where the rec room and gathering rooms were, where the class rooms were and where the cafeteria was as well as the long dining area that was used by the X-Men team. Upstairs she showed them the dorm areas and where their rec rooms were.

Storm then took pause on the second floor and Cam took the opportunity to notice that most of the mansion was done up the same way. The large main hallways all have the red and gold carpet down the middle and a few busts and paintings on the walls. Camryn had no idea what the rooms were like but at least this floor wasn't maze like, and even now she could see a secondary stair case and halls that led farther into the belly of the mansion. "These rooms on the second floor down the right hall are staff rooms and the rooms down the left are more rec rooms and such."

She continued to the next main stairway that led up to the third floor which has been offset from the first one on both the left and the right to keep the flow of the building. The third floor was different immediately. There wasn't a carpet down the floor. There also weren't any busts, and the paintings were less grand where as the second floor had both busts and grand paintings.

"These are the student dorms." Storm explained as she walked up to a specific door down off to the right wing. "This corridor is the girl's wing, the left is the boys, and this," She pushed open the door, "is your room Camryn." Storm gestured to the room.

Cam stepped inside and took a quick glance around. It as a large room and quite modern. There were four beds in the room and only two were tidy. Each of the beds had a different covers too; one had a dark grey background with red flowers, the head board was against the left wall on one side of another door; her instincts told her that that door led to the bathroom. There wasn't much around the red flower bed just a small dresser that held a lamp, an alarm clock and a black hairbrush with a white hair or two in the bristles.

Another bed that was across from the red one and beside her on the right, with the head board against the opposite wall, was a subtle pink shade. It too had a dresser beside it with a mirror on top. Around this bed was a slightly messy space that had the wall covered with posers of boy bands and famous actors. A radio with an alarm built in was on top of the dresser and it was playing some music from a radio station that she'd never heard of.

The last two were beside the window, one had a blue cover that appeared vacant, and the other one had a duvet that was black and splattered with bursts of color, just like fireworks. It too had a dresser, as they all did, and the wall behind it resembled the one behind the pink bed; covered in posters and pictures.

Camryn stepped into the middle of the room and did a bit of a spin.

"The bed with the blue cover will be yours Camryn." Storm called through the haze wrapping around her head. "You'll be sharing the room with Kitty, Rouge and Jubilee. We'll let you settle and I'll have someone bring up your things." Storm and Amber left quietly.

Cam stepped slowly over to the window and saw the beginning of the sun rise and it filled her with a bit of peace. She hadn't exactly wanted to come here but the institute is better than where Cam had thought they might be going previous to her mom's admission of where they were going. It was cool too because now she could actually meet the X-Men, maybe get a few new friends. Friends… god she missed Camelle.

She stepped back to her bed which was on the left side, and flopped onto her back and stare up at the ceiling. She heard a click from the door and tilted her head back to see. A boy around her age with deep, dark brown hair that hung in thick strands around his eyes stood upside down in her view. His eyes were a light chocolaty brown and his skin was pale but still nicely tanned. He had a black leather jacket on over top of a black tee. His jeans were a deep blue and loose but secured tightly to his waist by a thin brown belt.

All she could do was stare at his gorgeous face. Vaguely she realized that he was holding her green travel bag. She swallowed deeply but didn't move.

"Am I interrupting anything?" _God his voice is like a gods'! So thick and deep. _Cam couldn't help but smile even though she didn't realize it. The god smiled back, his teeth perfectly formed and white. "I believe this is yours." He stepped up and placed her case on the end of the bed. She couldn't do anything but gawk and continue staring. His smile slipped a bit and he turned around, "guess, I'll see you around." He lifted his hand and waved back at her. She thought her heart stopped; turned out that she forgot to keep breathing, but now that she had oxygen flowing to her brain she could tell that she was being a total moron for not saying anything back.

"Hey!" She jumped off the bed and rushed at the door but mister tall dark and handsome wasn't there anymore, it's like he vanished in a puff of smoke, but you know… without the smoke.

Camryn grumbled and stalked back to her bed and began to attack her clothes, unbelieving that she could have been so stupid.

When she finished stuffing away her bag under the bed she stomped out of the room and down two sets of stairs and into the kitchen that Storm had pointed out as they walked in the opposite direction. She stepped in quietly ready to take some pressure off her tormented feet. Storm and her mom were already her having some coffee. She took a peak in the fridge and with the go ahead from storm, helped herself to a large glass of orange juice.

The kitchen was a smaller secondary kitchen. It had a fridge, stove, microwave and sink on the left wall. A bar like counter was set out a few feet from the appliances. There was a bowel of apples on top and the women's coffee cups, as well as Storms bowel of breakfast fruit. Camryn walked around the back and had a look at the space behind it. There was a table for six on the side and a small pushed out window seat. The back wall was a huge window; she also noted that they had automatic blinds that worked at the push of a button and UV affected tinting glass that could also be controlled with a panel. The view of the front yard was beautiful; plenty of trees contrasted with a gently sloping lawn, amazing gardens and a small paved court for games like basket ball. It tore at her heart when she turned around to join the two at the bar counter.

She sat down with a huff, drawn back to her frustration for not speaking with the boy. Both her mother and Storm noticed.

"What's wrong Cam?" Her mother touched her shoulder and Cam turned to meet her concerned eyes. She didn't linger on them and she turned quickly to Storm.

"Who's the boy who brought up my bags; the one who was wearing all black?" Cam hopped she didn't sound too desperate.

"Oh!" Storm exclaimed and then smiled in a warm knowing way. "You didn't talk to him did you?" Cam saw the look in Storm's eye and could tell that she knew exactly how she felt.

Unintentionally she blushed and she shook her head and she covered with a drink of her juice.

The African woman chuckled closed mouthed in order to hide her amusement. "His name is Dexter." Then she added in a quiet whisper to deter prying ears, "He's almost as hot as Logan." Then she giggled in a failing attempt to hide her own embarrassing admition. All Cam could do was nod in agreement though she didn't see Logan that way at all; her mother however was blushing red hot.

"What's so funny?" The same smooth, silky, menacing voice from her room called out. Her head snapped up and there stood Dexter, her personal godly incarnation of hotness.

The pilot had only just finished his call, notifying the cabin of landing descent. The flight had been long but at least it had been quiet. Logan wasn't thrilled about having to be in a plane so shortly after getting out of one, however her realized something had changed a little. On his way to Victoria the flight had made him nauseous; just as it had every other time he'd been on a plane. But… on the way back, other than a reaction to Crusher's supersonic mode Logan was only uncomfortable in the air. He was only uncomfortable now too, even during the decent when he usually felt his worst.

The thought confused him but he let it go; after all he didn't feel like vomiting up the drinks he had on the flight. The sky through the window was darkening as the time neared eight o'clock at night.

Landing was rough and bouncy but still didn't affect Logan too badly which seemed to surprise Rouge. Taxing to the gate from the runway took five minutes. When the all clear was called to stand most of the younger team members, namely Bobby and Evan skyrocketed out of their seats and made it a race as to who could get off the plane first. Logan growled but otherwise remained silent as he waited for the others in the group to grab their things and move away before getting out of his seat.

The second he stepped from the plane into the terminal he felt pressured by the high humidity. It was almost as though he was breathing in water, what's worse, the air was still with no breeze what so ever. He felt like he was drowning in a couple of minutes, and he should know, he's almost drowned a few times.

Since the team only had carryon's they managed to go past baggage claim and go directly outside into the muggy tropical weather. Charles had arranged for them to be picked up by a limo and brought to the hotel. Logan was the first to spot the driver's sign through the throng of people and he led the team over. The sign the guy was holding had hasty writing on it that said Xavier Institute.

When they reached the sweating suited up driver the man read a list that was written or printed on the back of the sign that had all of their names on it. Jean was closest now to the driver so she confirmed that he was there for them. The driver led the way out to the limo which was parked in the loading zone. Logan let the others lead; he didn't like conversations all that much so he chose to stay away from the chatterboxes, including Jubilee. He was glad that she was too excited to bother him.

The light filtering in from the expansive windows of the front doors in the terminal was rather soothing to Logan. Light oranges and pale yellows as well as the occasional purple and red filled the sky; it transformed a landscape that normally Logan would call almost artificial looking, to subtle and perfectly contrasted. Even the oceans turquoise expanse (had they been able to see it from there) would have significantly added to the feel.

When they reached the white limo the driver unlocked the doors and graciously (as was his job) held open the door. Jean climbed in first, followed by Scott and the psycho crew. Logan hopped in last openly voicing his distaste for the long car. He was however glad that the vehicle was air conditioned; he could do extremely well in the cold but stick him in hot humid climates and it was easy to get heatstroke. That in mind he had a feeling he wouldn't like Hawaii much.

The drive to the hotel was loud but uneventful otherwise. The sky was slowly darkening but Logan was sure that it wouldn't prevent most of them form staying awake and enjoying themselves. He hopped it wouldn't be the case because he didn't want to stay up with them.

The hotel was a towering structure. It was pretty much beach front too, which just made it look even larger, especially in the fading light. They drove up under the front which had an undercover loading zone. The road was actually a reddish brick in this part and ornate pillars made the fact that this was a five star hotel really stand out. A bellhop came to greet them as they made their way out of the limo. He politely took their bags and brought them inside, except for Logan's which he kept on his own person. The driver left them to the hotel shortly after they disbanded but not before he told them that there was a van for their use in the parking lot and that the keys would be delivered to their penthouse suit.

That's pretty much when any preserved excitement was blown out into the open; Logan almost had a hard time keeping up. At least they got stuck in the lobby. The lobby was so ornate that Logan felt extremely out of place; he could hardly look at anything. Once he spotted the elevator with doors that were probably plated in gold he herded everyone over, because everyone had stopped for a second look.

The ride to the top felt like it took forever, but in actuality it was quite quick considering that they were on the 50th floor and boy what a floor it was. The living space was just a tubular space from the elevator to the other side of the building but it held many surprises. It was decorated very similarly to the institute, since Charles owned this suit; in fact the top ten floors had condos.

There were no busts here, but the paintings were similar in style and their frames just as spectacular and looked as though they were carved out in gold. There were paintings on either side of the elevator and beside all of the doors, so in the living area there were a total of nine paintings. The floor was hardwood like the mansion but had the same thick lush red rug on top in the whole area. It may as well have been a carpet rather than a mat over top of the flooring; but it was nice and you could tell everyone's feet would love it.

The furnisher in the room consisted of a corner couch, and two more couches. They were black leather and grouped together in the center, facing a wall with a plasma TV. The wall also had shelves and cupboards set up under the TV and they had a stereo system and PlayStation system, an Xbox 360, a Wii and a DVD player that also plays blue ray. On top of that the shelves were filled with games for all of the systems, and movies for the TV.

The wall along the right had four doors. The doors led into four bedrooms that were just a grand as the living room and were all connected by doors inside the rooms. In each room were two identical beds, a separating night stand with a lamp and a chest of drawers at the foot of each bed. There were no TV's in the rooms that was saved for the main room. The wood that made the drawers and for that matter, all the wood in the large suit was a dark wood that gleamed under its varnish. The linen on the beds was identical; green with a floral pattern that was blue. It contrasted the pinkish walls nicely. Jean and Rouge took the room at the farthest end of the suite; Jubilee and Kitty were beside them. Scott and Kurt took the other end closest to the elevator which left Bobby and Even the in the other center room.

On the opposite side were three more doors. The door at the end closest to the TV was one of those doors that could swing back and forth at a push and couldn't be locked; the thing that distinguished it the most was its color. It was a light grain wood where the others had a dark grain. The middle door on the wall was the bathroom; the room was large and sparkling clean with two standing showers, two toilet stalls and three sinks. Obviously someone planned ahead.

The final room was the one directly beside the bathroom door; the doors on the other wall were evenly spaced, the ones on this wall weren't. The bathroom and final bedroom door were beside one another and the kitchen was in the middle of the remaining area. That last bedroom was the largest. It had its own TV, had sound proof walls and it's very own bathroom. The bed, unlike the others which were twin sized, was king and it had a red duvet, the floor was just hardwood and Logan was glad to see it had a sofa too. Maybe he wouldn't have to be to concerned about the others after all; maybe this could be a vacation for him too.

When everyone had claimed their space with their belongings which had been conveniently delivered before they even made it up, they gathered around the TV. Evan and Bobby had managed to already sort through all of the games and decided which were going to be played. Kitty on the other hand noticed that the wall with the TV wasn't actually the last wall. Logan watched Kitty discover the thing that had made the room smell wrong when they had first stepped. It was like a window was open because the humidity and strange scents from outside occasionally swirled about his nose and skin. There was a small channel behind the TV wall that led to a sliding glass door; Kitty forced everyone to check it out. The doors led to a spacious balcony that held an infinity pool, a hot tub and plenty of wooden pool side lounge chairs.

Everyone was thrilled at this new find especially because it was getting dark out and they had to leave the beach till the morning, Kitty was especially pleased and she ran inside squealing as she went to get her swimsuit. Everyone except Logan and Rouge followed after her. Logan walked past the pool and the hot tub to the railing that encased the balcony and he looked out at the setting sun as it dipped below the horizon.

"Everything alright, Logan? You've seemed down ever since this morning." Rouge asked quietly as she joined him by the railing, she smelled nervous, probably unsure of how he would react. When he only shrugged in response she relaxed, but slowly pushed for a spoken reply. "That conversation would have many believe that you know each other." Rouge twisted around and leaned her back up to the railing and rested her elbows on top.

Logan was silent for a long time trying to decide if he would answer at all and Marie almost walked away before he did reply. "I did. A long time ago." He sighed unhappy with where this conversation could lead.

"I thought so, but while we're on the topic can I ask ya one more question?" Logan fought down a growl since she only seemed curious. He unconsciously fidgeted and hopped she didn't ask anything too pointed.

"Shoot."

Marie nodded and launched her question, "Why were you mad at her?" Logan shook his head, _to pointed, to pointed_ he thought. He ducked his head and spun around, growling, barreling through the others as they funneled onto the deck. He went to his room and slammed his door loud enough that it made everyone outside on the deck and two floors down give pause before they went about their business.

It was a long night; Logan remained in his pitch black room awake on the couch, the whole time he heard the soft sounds of the party going on outside his door. _So much for sound proofing… _The only time he was bothered was when Rouge came to inform him that the beer he ordered from room service was there. He took the cart into his room with the cases of beer on it and told Rouge to make sure nobody died or got injured. He shut his door and ignored the party noises that the walls had failed to block out.

He left his lights off since he could see just fine from the red power light on the TV, he didn't take his time with the beer; the cart had enough to sustain his binge drinking till five in the morning. It didn't have to though because he slowed down at twelve and turned on the TV and played a movie which he didn't really watch, in fact he couldn't even figure out what movie it was. The only thing he really paid attention to was the part where the main characters were driving a car in a wide dessert canyon while getting shot at by a helicopter as they threw dynamite into a sand bank to uncover a civil war battle ship.

Amber was in his thoughts the whole time.

The next morning was Saturday; at six o'clock Logan drew back his door and stepped outside into the main room. The room was a disaster; pop cans were strewn all across the floor, garbage from chip bags and various candies covered the couches and the floor, and the TV was left on (though it was mute) and a guitar hero game menu was up on the screen.

Logan snarled at the new development and was horrified at their lack of care. He went to the kitchen, grumpy all over again. He opened the fridge and pulled out an egg, some bacon and a bottle of ketchup. Pans were hanging above an island in the center of the kitchen and he pulled down the two smallest ones. He was glad that they were still brand new and had their non-stick coating still on, he hated it when he cooked an egg, not going for scrambled, and they end up scrambled because trying to flip it, destroys it.

He put the bacon on first knowing that it will take longer to cook, and he waited for it sitting by the huge window wall that over looked the beach bellow the hotel. He was lost in thought as he watched the beginning of the sunrise and was really close to burning the bacon, but he flipped it in time and got the egg cooking too. He popped a piece of bread into the toaster when the egg was about done and turned off the stove element that the bacon was on. The toast was done at the same time that the egg was and he placed the bread on a plate, stroked on a small amount of butter and then covered it with ketchup and topped it with the egg. He placed his three pieces of bacon on his plate, grabbed a fork and a knife and took off back to his darkened room.

The TV was still on playing the American news; the volume was so low that he could barely hear it over his own footsteps. Logan placed his breakfast on the coffee table between the couch and TV so he could retrieve one of the left over beers from the mini-fridge that was hidden at the bottom of the rooms' dresser.

Six hours later at eleven o'clock he emerged from his room and found both the main room and the kitchen still vacant. He went back to his room grabbed his plate and went back to the kitchen and hand washed his dishes from earlier; that took him a minuscule amount of time, only five minutes.

When he finished that he dried his hands and strut over to the door that belonged to summers and Kurt. He quietly opened that door and grimaced at their sleeping forms; he had enough.

"Get up!" He snarled and yelled at the same time causing Summers to start and accidently fall out of his bed. Kurt ended up teleporting onto the bedrooms chandelier, probably so he had a defensive position. The look on Summers face normally would have been the funniest thing in the world to Logan but now it only made him feel angrier.

Scott moaned and muttered to himself about burning eyes; which really was ironic. "Why can't you just let us get some sleep," he said and childishly threw a pillow at Logan who just batted it aside with a back hand. "If you'd been up all night you'd want to get some shut eye." Logan watched unimpressed as the boy-scout dragged himself back onto his bed and off the floor.

"Oh, you're going to want to get up now or you're going to be stuck in here when you finally want to get up Scoot. Ya all have some cleanin' to do." He stalked over to Scott and grabbed his left arm and dragged hiss complaining ass out into the main room. By that time everyone had come out of their rooms as well, roused by the confrontation, and probably the smell of sulfur and brimstone from Kurt's porting. The only ones that didn't look tiered were Rouge and… and… well just Rouge and she looked ashamed. "This'll be cleaned up before…" he looked at a clock on the wall, its face said 11:30, "2 o'clock or there is going to be more than just a problem here." He gave everyone a murderous glare, kicked his way through the garbage and slammed his door when he got into his room.

He went over to the massive drapes that covered the sliding glass doors that led to his very own deck. It was on the side of the building so it didn't over look the beach, but it did give an amazing view of the small city and in part the island. The deck flooring was a white rubbery material just as on the other deck and it had an overhang creating a pool of shade where he stood. A couple of dark wood reclining deck chairs were on the right side of the rectangular space, and Logan went to be the occupant of the closest one; he sat down and closed his heavy eyes hopping for at least one hour of sleep, but his thoughts kept that from happening, so he just sat and enjoyed the slow wind against his face.

One hour latter he was still in his seat on the deck trying to ignore the sounds of civilization when a knock sounded on the bedroom door. He reluctantly got up to answer it, resentful once again to Charles for having sent him here.

He opened the door to find Kitty looking at him anxiously, the room behind her clean but full of bursting garbage bags. "Hey, Mr. Logan, we, like, finished cleaning up and were, like, wondering if we could go down to the beach? She looked at him expectantly.

He stepped out into the room around her to get a better look. A quick walk around the place confirmed that they had in fact done not too bad a job. He looked back at Kitty who was still standing by his door. "Yeah, guess so." That got a small cheer out of just about everybody, only Kurt had a few reservations.

"My hollo vatch doesn't verk in the vater." Logan didn't feel that he had been addressed directly but answered anyway.

"So? Then leave it here." He shrugged nonchalantly at Kurt's horrified look.

"Vhat?!"

"Ya heard me." He went back to his room to wait for them to be ready which didn't take long; about the same amount of time for Logan to down three more beers.

He had to go down to the beach with them even though he didn't want to but he put on a pair of shorts that he had brought just in case he felt like going into the water and discarded his jeans on the bed alongside his backpack. Kurt was really self-conscious especially when the area of beach they chose happened to have the most amount of people. He kept trying to argue his case about not going into the water since he wore his holo watch down. No one was really impressed that he would rather hide then have fun but they didn't question him when he chose to stay on the beach with Logan.

They sat in silence as the others took out a beach ball and started to throw it back and forth. It was almost ten minutes before Kurt spoke. "It's just nobody would want to hang around someone that's blue and fuzzy, has a tail and yellow eyes." He gestured down at the image of a normal boy the holo had projected.

Logan looked over at the boy and contemplated what he said. "Worrying a little too much ain't ya elf?" He leaned back on his elbows in the sand and tipped his head back to the sun. Kurt didn't reply but Logan could smell him calculating his options though indecision seemed most dominant. In fact Logan kind of felt frustrated by his reluctance to ignore what others thought and enjoy himself. "Look elf, if you don't do something, I will." He pushed himself up out of the sand and stood at Kurt's feet.

The kid looked up at him confused. "Vhat do you mean Logan?"

He gave a devious smile and leaned down towards Kurt who was trying to shuffle back out of reach, but he was too slow. Logan grasped Kurt's wrist and undid the watch in the same motion, leaving Kurt blue and fuzzy on the beach in shorts with a cut out for his tail.

One woman nearby screamed and then fainted on her beach towel, alerting everyone else on the beach. No one else screamed, most were just staring and a few backed away quickly to another part of the beach. Logan could have sworn that he saw shame on Kurt's face and he almost felt sorry, almost, till the elf stood up shoved past him and went down to the water and intercepted the ball that the others were tossing around. At least he was finally enjoying himself, the others chasing him along the beach to get the ball back.

Logan placed that watch on Kurt's folded up towel and sat back down in the sand cross legged enjoying the searing heat form their grains. He stared out into the horizon lost in thought, he couldn't decide whether or not to think about Amber or how his sword kept disappearing and repapering. He picked the sword since it didn't make his chest ache.

He thought about how it felt as if it almost grew or dissolved onto or off of his back when he had been leaving the danger room a few days ago; the way it left was different from the way it came, almost as if it had been discarded verses when it came, it had the feeling that it was needed.

_This is stupid! The damn thing can't disappear and it definitely doesn't have feelings, I must have imagined it all… _he thought at himself harshly. Regardless of feeling like an idiot he closed his eyes and imagined calling out to the sword, which he firmly remembered was accidently left on a table in the main hall of the mansion. He envisioned it appearing upon his opened palms.

For a moment nothing happened and he almost confirmed his insanity, but when a light weight began pressing on his hands he breathed in sharply and opened his eyes to the glistening blade sitting in the spot that he had wanted it. He could feel many of the beach goers eyes on his back and their growing apprehension of him, though they seemed just as determined to ignore him. He smirked and banished the sword, where it was now he didn't know but he did know that the sword didn't like being dismissed.

The rest of the Saturday passed uneventfully, thank god too, because Rouge had the brilliant idea to remain mainly uncovered by just wearing a bathing suit. Not the brightest idea on her part but at least this time there weren't any consequences. Night was quieter this time with a fine array of burgers having been brought up to the room as a special request.

Sunday was a slow day on the beach with lots of people staring at Kurt and now Logan as many had seen his swords strange ability. Basically everything was boring till it was time to get back on a plane and go home.

The flight back was on an even larger plane; the size that has two isles, with more room in both the cabin and first class. When their tickets were bought, though, only cabin seats were left and they were slightly scattered on the plane, the brilliance of purchasing last minute.

The airport was smaller than the one in New York but not by much. In fact it was practically identical. They all went through the lines the same way as they had in New York with Jean and Scott in the lead and Logan in the back. Then they got to the metal detectors. Of course everyone passed through without a problem. But him? No. He hopped a fluke would happen like before but it didn't. He stepped through to greet the shrill annoyance. He stood as the person with the metal detector went over him.

A frown spread over the guys face as he became sure that the detector was faulty. Logan ground his teeth but waited unsure of how to get around this. The guy was back with a different detector and tried again, to no avail. With his patients waning, Logan groweled out right and moved into the guys face. He whispered next to his ear, "I could be naked and that thing would still be annoying. Now get out of my way!" Logan took a small step back and was just about to extend his claws when a deep voice called out.

"Let him pass, I doubt he'll be any kind of problem." Logan looked passed the guy with the metal detector and the X-Men into the aging face of General Glanshire who was just off to the side.

Logan straightened, stepped back from the detector guy and tilted his chin up in silent defiance. He glared at the General as he clearly remembered Glanshire pulling the plug and the gunshot that rang out afterwards; he had a feeling that the new memory was going to haunt him.

After a moment he grabbed his bag off the check line beside him and pushed past the guard guy towards the waiting team. He paused in front of them only long enough to tell them to get on the plane, and then he turned back to Glanshire.

"Never thought I'd see you in Hawaii." Logan commented with distaste clearly audible in his voice.

"Dido. In fact I never thought I'd ever see you show your face again." Glanshire relaxed onto one leg, crossed his arms and smirked as if he knew something Logan didn't.

He frowned in response, "No thanks to you."

"Like I had any choice; you would have killed everyone in the compound if I hadn't allowed Cornel Striker to handle the situation." Now Glanshire was frowning as well.

Logan walked forward up to the General and snarled, "Everyone has a choice." He turned back around and began walking away, but stopped when Glanshire started speaking again.

"Your right, but you decided for me when you almost killed Marcus."

Logan swallowed deeply not wanting to remember that night but he couldn't hold in this anguish and anger. He spun around on the spot and whipped his right fist into the middle of the Generals face. He felt the soft crunch of cartilage bend to his adamantium laced knuckles, and the left side of his lips turned up into a smirk of grim satisfaction.

"What was that for?!" Glanshire squeaked out past the gushing blood.

"If you don't know why, then you're not very observant. When you've got a clue let me know, in the mean time I'd put some ice on that." He turned and walked to the loading ramp and walked straight onto the plane. Everyone else was seated and ready to go; most of the plane was full except for a few rows at the back in each isle. Logan's seat was the farthest back beside Rouge and two strangers.

The seats were in the left isle, Logan had the ally seat and Rouge was beside him. Jean and Scott scored two seats in the front of the left isle, and Kitty and Bobby were the unlucky ones sitting alone in the middle isle separated, Kitty was closest to the back and Bobby closer to the front.

Lift off was held up by a couple last minute dumbasses; three dark clothed morons that didn't have anything except the clothes on their backs. One took a seat in the left isle near the front in an ally seat, the others claimed a middle row near the back, each took and ally seat on either side with empty seats in-between.

With the passing of frustration, Logan stuffed his bag and hat into the overhead with the other bags. He let his body drop into the seat and his head back to the rest. His plan was to blow time by sleeping, since he didn't exactly get any rest from his thoughts over the past few days. Now he was getting an early start.

Trying to sleep on the plane was easier than Logan had thought it would be, The sensation of flying that usually made him slightly nauseated now is even less noticeable then it had been only a few days ago.

The flight was smooth sailing, so to speak, for just over an hour, unless you counted the whining kids and wailing baby, not even turbulence disrupted the cabin. That was the nights turning point.

The two cloaked men from the middle isle ally seats got up at the same time and went towards the flight attendant area of the plane, in the back, past the bathrooms. Logan eyed the men with a hunter's precision suspecting that they wouldn't time needing to urinate that perfectly. After a moment the other one up at the front began heading to the cockpit.

With a bad feeling stirring, Logan turned to Rouge. "See those two heading to the back of the plane?" He whispered low enough so only she could hear. She nodded and took a peek in their direction. "They can't be up to anything good." He glanced in their direction again as Rouge looked away. "It wouldn't surprise me if they were armed." He paused, and quickly looked between them and the guy in the front. "A distraction."

She looked towards him a stunned kind of worry with his conclusion in her eyes. "A distraction… for what?"

Logan paused and looked back up front at the man's slow going creep; it took a moment to piece the clues together but once he did it almost launched him out of his seat right then and there, "A hijack." Rouge's eyes widened as she took in the scene with clarity, he could tell she agreed with his final conclusion.

He offered his hand to her and she went to grab it with her gloved one. He caught her wrist and pulled off her glove. He gripped her hand as if to shake it and his muscles locked down tightly as his energy drained rapidly from his body. With great effort he pried his fingered open and roughly let her hand go so he could rub his own. It was unusually cold for him, and he was way more tired now, almost ready for a nap.. "Keep an eye on them… Maybe even a hand if you have to." He pointed back with a small nod.

He didn't have to look down to know she was in shock he also didn't have to watch to know when she followed the men to the end of the plane as he himself walked the other way. As he walked up to the front he flexed the sore muscles in his right arm and mainly his hand to regain fluid movement.

Halfway to the man who was four or five feet from the first class cabin divider another guy stood up, but from the right side and closer to the front wearing not black, but white and camouflage. A silver chain hung from around his dark neck and hanging from the chain were two ID plates; dog tags. _Marcus,_ the thought rang through his head and almost clogged up what he was supposed to be thinking about; he felt like calling out to Marcus but he held his tongue, eye contact would have to do.

It seemed obvious that Mark knew what was going on and by the look he was receiving from him, Mark knew that he knew. An understanding passed.

Logan crept quickly and quietly up to the man's back unseen. They were up beside the space in-front of the first row seats before the wall to the first class area. He was just about to make his presence know to the guy in front of him when a scream and a shout of "Get down on the floor now bitch!" rang through the staling air, followed by, "I'm warning you to put down the gun now!" That was definitely Rouge, without a doubt. But the next set of sounds were even more troubling.

A bullet shot was heard, a high pitched scream and a thud. A gurgling followed along with three more thuds and a scraping noise.

Coming back to his reality, Logan wished he hadn't been listening to Rouges confrontation because he lost concentration and received a pistol whip to the face that caught and damaged his left eye.

He staggered back a step or two before he jumped forward and slammed the hijacker between the passengers, the wall, Marcus and himself. The guy was trapped, he knew it; and did what all cowards do when pinned he held up the gun and aimed it at Logan directly between the eyes.

The thought of being shot there was almost funny at the moment as it's a hot spot for a direct kill; only it would cause about as much harm as a pin prick, the bullet would get more purchase and cause more damage to him elsewhere.

The gun was only aimed at him for a moment however and was trained to a passenger when the hijacker spied his healing eye. Now it was leveled at an elderly woman in the seat in front of him.

"You move. I shoot." The irony of this standoff is that they usually end only one way for the antagonist, Capture. It's the hostage that's the wild card. Do they live or do they die? Logan was hopping for the former.

No movement was made by either party and no sounds were uttered by anyone except the whimpering from the hostage. Now why did some plans take so long to figure out while others took no thought? _No thought. No thought._

Logan jumped for a tackle; he reached out and pulled the gun hand towards himself while flattening the man against the floor with his body. Thankfully no shots were fired; saving either the woman's life or himself from further annoyance was questionable but still prevented.

He stood in the ally as Marcus's buddy's dealt with the hijacker. His eye was almost finished healing. "I take it that you knew what this guy was doing?" He raised an eyebrow in Mark's direction.

Mark gave a small half smile, "Yeah, we knew; we've been trying to bust this guy for three months for attempted homicide. Then we found out that he has a grudge that he was trying to level out. His plan for that one included slamming the plane into the ocean and killing everyone on board." His face twisted into a look of disgust. Logan lifted his chin in acknowledgement. "You just happened to notice him make his move first. I appreciate the help." He stuck out his hand.

Logan looked at it for a moment and was opening his mouth to speak when more scraping and moaning could be heard coming from the back of the plane. Both Logan and Mark rushed to help Rouge and chain the other goons.

When they got to the back there were four bodies on the floor; one was a flight attendant, two were the accomplices and the last was Rouge.

Logan knelt by her head and pried a bloodied Ornthrond from her right hand and moved her left hand away from one of the guy's ankles. She groaned and went to grasp her left knee but gasped at the pressure from her fingers.

"Hold still." Mark said quietly and he held her head up with a towel between her head and his skin. She groaned but relaxed into his hands. Logan placed the sword down on the floor off to the side to free his hands and he moved himself to examine Rouge's knee; he placed his right hand on top of her knee. Through the fabric of her pants massive waves of heat pressured his skin. He slowly slid his hand down her calf to a small hole where the bullet pierced her pants. It was soaked with blood and a small pool began to puddle up under her leg.

He grabbed the hem of her pant leg and slid it up till it was just past the entry point, which was right in the center of her lower leg. The entry was clean but the rest of the wound didn't seem to be. The bullet had gone cleanly through her skin but got wedged into her bone. As he moved his hands to remove the bullet the wound stopped bleeding and her skin closed up over the hole.

"Shit." Logan whispered as he turned his face away and rubbed it with his hand.

"What?" Rouge and Mark said at the same time, both their heads jolting to look at him.

Logan turned his face back towards them, "The skin's healed over the entry wound." He looked back down at her leg which look like nothing happened, that is if you didn't notice the lump made from the bullet.

Mark's eyes were intense as he addressed Logan. "How's that possible?" He paused, "Her mutation… Did you…"

"Yes, I didn't want her to get roughed up; I didn't think they'd shoot her led and break the bone getting the bullet lodge in it as well." He leaned back onto his knees and observed the scene.

Mark looked stunned but not surprised; Rouge looked to be in serious pan even with a lame version of Logan's healing factor. Logan remembered Ornthrond, Rouge had used it to wound one of the hijackers. He glanced over her shoulder; it was gone, which he'd expected. _How? _He thought before he focused once again on Rouges predicament.

He leaned back in and extended the right claw on his left hand. He brought it close to her leg then informed her, "This is gonna hurt." He touched her with his claw and she took a deep breath, preparing for the extra pain it would induce. Then he dug in and her scream pierced the cabin.

Quickly he got down to the bone and made a space just large enough for his fingers to fit, meanwhile Rouge attempted to remain silent but moans escaped one after another.

Using the left claw on his right hand he held the cut open as he slid his other claw away and began to pry the bullet out of her bone. As he grabbed hold of the bullet pulled it and shattered bone fragments out of the wound he noticed that touching her flesh had no harmful affect on him. _Must just be her skin… _He thought through his concentration; but given that thought he was able to better clean out the mess.

Upon finishing and pulling his bloodied hand away, her skin closed in and sealed up, making the place in which they were sitting look like a crime scene without a victim. But of course there was and she still had a broken leg.

Mark and Logan helped Rouge onto her feet and they turned to her, "You okay?" Logan asked.

She nodded and replied, "Yeah, it's mostly num now but I definitely don't want to move it. Um… Logan, how long will it take to heal?"

He paused and thought about how he could phrase and answer. "My speed probably about a month. Yur speed, six. So regardless of right now you're still looking at six."

"Six months! I can't do nothin' for six months!"

"Ya won't be doin' nothin', but ya will be wearin' a cast." Rouge's mouth dropped open ready to make a retort but Logan raised a finger to prevent interruption. "If yur lucky, I might just be willing ta help. For now though yur on yur own."

Without much response Logan bent down and scooped Rouge up, surprising her. He carried Rouge back to her seat placed her down carefully, told her he'd be back and went into the flight attendant space with Mark.

"Help me look for something to brace her leg with." They started looking franticly but after a few short minutes had come up empty. This frustrated him and when someone touched his shoulder he turned fast and furiously angered by the interruption. The flight attendant that had passed out, stood in front of him.

"What are you looking for?" Logan's lips twitched preparing to voice a snarl but Mark stepped in before he could.

"Do you have a leg brace on this plane?" he inquired.

The stewardess tilted her head in question till her eyes lit up. She shook her head. "No we don't but there are tenser bandages over here for emergencies."

"Great." Mark stepped around Logan and took the large bandage from the stewardess. Then he turned around and gave the bandage to Logan who promptly led the way back to Rouge.

She was sweating and in obvious pain. He touched her shoulder with his hand and then began to tightly brace her leg as best he could with the tenser bandage. With the wrap on she managed to relax a little.

"Thanks, Logan." She breathed to him through a sigh of relief.

"Yur welcome." He stepped away from the seats to be confronted by Jean, she merely glared at him a little and left for her seat. So he moved to sit back down in his seat but Mark's hand on his wrist stopped him. He turned to face his old friend.

"You and I… I believe we have a bit to talk about. Mark looked for a long time at his eyes. It took a moment but Logan decided the conversation was in his best interest. One thing had to be taken care of first however. He nodded at Mark but turned back to Rouge and crouched so they were eye level.

"Rouge," he whispered intently, "how did you end up with my sword in yur hand?"

She gazed back with confusion. "I… I don't know, that guy pulled the gun and it was just…"

"Just what?"

"Just… there. It wasn't there, and then it was. I can't explain it. I'm sorry, I didn't mean too."

Logan held up his hand and shook his head. "It's fine. It doesn't matter." He touched her shoulder again as he stood up. _How could Marie have possible called my sword? And only just after I learned how to do it._ He frowned _Guess I'll have to look into that._ Then he looked back over at Mark, their conversation has been long in coming, Rouge would have to wait.

He turned his body back to face Mark; they nodded in turn and went off to one of the empty rows remaining in the back.

***Again Reviews are helpful and I love to here what you think :) Don't forget that it keeps me writing too so please Review!***


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